After Michail Antonio’s call-up to the England squad, there are others making it big in the Premier League.
England’s Michail Antonio during training
With his call-up to the England squad, Michail Antonio follows a line of current internationals who played non-league football but are now making the grade in the Premier League.
While still seen as an unconventional route to making it as a footballer, more and more players appear to be seeing the benefits of playing non-league football.
With current England internationals such as Jamie Vardy, Chris Smalling, Joe Hart, and now Antonio receiving their football education in the lower tiers of English football, could this be a way to progress to the top flight?
Both Smalling and Hart have become Premier League winners with Manchester United and Manchester City respectively, and it is clear you can make the grade by playing non-league football. Smalling started his career playing for Maidstone United, while Hart started out at Shrewsbury Town.
But these are not the only cases to consider. Vardy, who is now a mainstay of the Englnad set-up, like Hart and Smalling, started out in non-league football. It is perhaps Vardy most of all who has brought so much attention to non-league football, having scored prolifically with Stockbridge Park Steels, Halifax Town and for Fleetwood Town.
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy scores their first goal
We take a look at other players making the most of that education and succeeding in the Premier League
Michail Antonio – West Ham
Having been the latest in a line of non-league footballers to make the grade in the Premier League, Antonio took what may be regarded as the unconventional route. He started out with Tooting & Mitcham United in the eighth tier of English football, scoring 33 goals in 45 games before signing for Reading in 2008 at the impressive age of 17.
After moves to Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest, the midfielder signed for West Ham United, which has culminated in his call-up to Sam Allardyce’s first England squad, where he could make his debut in their World Cup qualifier against Slovakia.
Troy Deeney – Watford
Having failed to make the grade at Aston Villa as a youth player, Deeney played non-league football for Chelmesley Town before being spotted and picked up by Walsall. The Watford striker spent three seasons with the League One side before The Hornets made their move in a £250,000 deal after Deeney had handed in a transfer request. Now captain of Watford, Deeney has formed a partnership with Odion Ighalo that saw the side flourish in the Premier League last season.
Ashley Williams – Everton
Williams has long been one of the most solid and dependable centre-backs in the Premier League and this season made the move from Swansea City to Everton for £12 million this summer. Such was Williams’ influence and dependability at Swansea he was named in the EFL team of the decade in 2015.
Before making his big money move to Everton, Williams made 319 appearances for Swansea. But it was at Hednesford Town, where he gained his non-league education, before making the step up to league football with Stockport County.
Danny Ings – Liverpool
While Liverpool striker Danny Ings’ spell in non-league football was brief, having spent nine games on loan at Dorchester Town, it helped his footballing education. Whilst at Dorchester on loan from Bournemouth, Ings scored four goals before signing for Burnley in 2011. From there Ings made a move to Anfield that culminated in him receiving a call-up to national side where he made his senior debut for England in October 2015.
Liverpool’s Danny Ings arrives before the match
Yannick Bolasie – Everton
Of all the players who have received an education in non-league football, it is Bolasie who deserves the biggest mention, having played in the eleventh tier of English football with Hillingdon Borough. While the Congolose international only played a handful of games, it will have been an educational experience. From there Bolasie joined Maltese club Floriana, before making the grade in the football league with Plymouth Argyle.
His performances for Plymouth resulted in a move to Bristol City, before Crystal Palace came calling. In the summer Everton agreed a deal to sign Bolasie from Alan Pardew’s side for a fee that could rise to £30 million, making his journey from West London complete.
Everton’s Ashley Williams applauds fans after the match with Yannick Bolasie
Other notable mentions should also go to Swansea’s Neil Taylor, Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson and West Bromwich Albion’s Craig Dawson, who after starting out playing non-league football are now making it big in the Premier League.
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