Top Ten National League To Football League Players

By Tom Feaheny

Jamie Vardy

We had to start with a player who excelled with Fleetwood Town and helped them gain promotion to League Two as the highest scorer in the league. Vardy had joined them from FC Halifax Town where his goal scoring record had brought him a lot of attention, he would move to Leicester CIty for a deal worth up to £1.7 million and as they say the rest is history with Vardy now an England international and Premier League winner, the striker acknowledged his time in our league as key to his development.

Danny Ings

Another Premier League striker who had a spell here was the now Liverpool forward, Ings who at the time was at Bournemouth joined Dorchester Town to gain some valuable game time in September 2010, he scored seven times for the side in all competitions, with his loan being cut short due to an injury crisis with the League team, Ings would eventually move to Burnley where he made a big impact, gained an England and he is currently at Liverpool after joining for a fee over £6 million.

Yannick Bolasie

The pacy winger spent a loan spell at the club where he was at during his youth career, as he joined Rushden & Diamonds for a month at the end of 2008 from Plymouth. He made his debut against Eastbourne Borough on 29th November and played seven times before he went back to the League side. Bolasie would eventually move to Crystal Palace and joined Everton for a fee in the region of £20 million, he is currently recovering from a long-term injury.

Andre Gray

The forward has played for three teams in our leagues with two on loan and one on a permanent basis, Gray initially joined AFC Telford United in November 2009 and a temporary basis from Shrewsbury Town, he scored once in six games. His next move was to join Hinckley United on an emergency one-month loan, this would lead to him joining on a permanent basis in the summer of 2010, 29 goals in 65 matches led to Luton Town bringing him in, he would play a crucial part in their promotion back to the Football League as he was named in the team of the year and was the highest scorer in the division at the end of the 2013-14 season.

Dwight Gayle

Newcastle United's forward spent a year in the Conference North on loan at Bishop's Stortford after joining Dagenham & Redbridge, he would score 29 goals during the 2011-12 season in 42 games. Gayle would start the next season at Dag & Red in the first team, this was followed by a move to Peterborough United, before that season had ended he joined Crystal Palace and played in the Premier League, his eventual move to the North-East club saw him help them gain promotion from the Championship last season.

Sam Clucas

Clucas is one of a few players to have played in the National League, League Two, League One, Championship and Premier League, the midfielder is currently with Premier League side Swansea and impressed last season with Hull City. At the start of the 2011-12 season Clucas arrived Hereford United after being released by Lincoln City, he would impress during his time in our league and would subsequently move to Mansfield Town and Chesterfield before going into the Premier League.

Grant Holt

Here's a story of a player who started in Non-League football and is now back after National League Barrow approached him for his services where he will join as player-coach. Holt had spells at Halifax Town and Barrow before moving into League football, he would make his name at Norwich City, where his goals propelled them from League One to the Premier League. Holt who is from the Carlisle will now be back playing closer to home.

Steve Finnan

The Republic of Ireland international and Champions League winner began his adult career at Welling United in 1993, he would make over 40 appearances for the side before moving to Birmingham City, he most memorable spells though were at Fulham and Liverpool, where he was a fans favourite.

Angus MacDonald

The England C international went from playing in the Vanarama National League to the Championship after moving from Torquay United to Barnsley, to show the impact he made at Oakwell since joining, after his first season he was named the new club captain and like he was with the Gulls, he has been rock solid in defence.

Stan Collymore

Last but no means least is the striker who in 1990 was at Stafford Rangers, he made a big impression to those watching and some impressive finishing he was snapped up by Crystal Palace at the age of 19. Collymore would go onto play in the Premier League and made three appearences for England.