Jamie Vardy's Roy of the Rovers story continues to gather pace as the records keep tumbling for the Leicester City striker.
The rise of Jamie Vardy continues and the story just gets better and better for him. Last weekend, he broke Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s Premier League record for scoring in consecutive games. Vardy has now scored in 11 games in a row, and breaking the record was made all the more special in doing it against Van Nistelrooy’s former club, Manchester United. Vardy’s celebration said it all; he was clearly thrilled to have written his name into Premier League folklore, and you can’t help but be delighted for him.
I’m sure it even brought a wry smile to Manchester United fans' faces, as it’s great to see someone not immediately classed as a ‘football superstar’ go on an incredible run, that could be continued this weekend against Swansea City. It is often brought up about Vardy’s meteoric rise to this stage in his career in such a small space of time. At Fleetwood in Non-League football just over three years ago, he has also played for Stockbridge Park Steels, who he used to turn out in the 8th tier of English football. One club who is probably regretting their actions is Sheffield Wednesday, who decided to release Jamie when he was 16 years old.
Vardy deserves all of the plaudits he is getting, as he has had to do it the hard way. Being released by a top club at a young age can have a detrimental effect on a career, but Vardy quickly found himself a club, albeit in the lower echelons of English football, and has worked his way up in superb fashion to the very pinnacle of English football right now. His record may stand for a considerable time, and he may yet extend it himself. He is worthy of his place in the England squad, certainly much more than Wayne Rooney at the moment. The prospect of an in form Vardy and Harry Kane leading the line for England at Euro 2016 next summer is exciting, and would show clear attacking intent from Roy Hodgson.
What makes the 28-year-old so likeable is that the common football fan feels as if they can relate to him. Unlike other prima donna players, the Leicester City forward just seems like your average guy, and with the fairy-tale story behind him, he’s now got immense support up and down the country. Whilst his off-field antics may have slightly blemished his career (Casino and Twitter outbursts), Vardy is almost acting as a working class hero, achieving the dreams which many of us had set out to reach. In a similar way to Tyson Fury beating Vladimir Klitschko to become heavyweight champion of the world, these every day guys, rough diamonds dare I say, are giving reminders of why we all love sport. It’s proving that if you stick at it, and work hard towards your goals, then they can be achieved. I’m not trying to get all emotional and philosophical here, but it is refreshing to see characters like Vardy and Fury garner well deserved success.
Vardy’s accomplishments are also an inspiration and very relevant for players currently at Non-League level. It shows that players plying their trade in the the seventh and eight tiers, for example, can still reach the very top with hard work and dedication. Vardy always believed in himself, so much so that he put a clause in his Leicester City contract for a bonus when he got an England cap. Not cocky, just confident in his abilities. Seeing the rise of more Non-League players would be fascinating, and great for the English game.
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