FA Cup: Jamie Vardy, Charlie Austin, Andre Gray… ten more non-league stars who could make it big
The lower leagues are home to some real rough diamonds and here SunSport's Football League expert picks out the cream of the crop
JAMIE VARDY, Charlie Austin, Andre Gray... the list of non-league players to make it big is endless.
And ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup action, TOM BARCLAY has picked nine players and a manager who we reckon could one day make the step up to the Football League.
BRUNO ANDRADE
(BOREHAM WOOD v Blackpool)
A 24-year-old striker and current top-scorer in the National League with nine goals. Andrade started at QPR and has been tracked by Portsmouth.
Similar style of play to: Riyad Mahrez
KANE SMITH
Attacking full-back thriving in Boreham Wood’s back five. He had recent trials with Crystal Palace, Shrewsbury and Coventry.
Similar style of play to: Kieran Trippier
SCOTT WILSON
(Forest Green v MACCLESFIELD)
ROMANCE OF THE CUP Lincoln City's newest fans conceived during FA Cup run
Ex-Bristol City academy striker, 24, who won National League Player of the Month for September after four goals in five starts.
Similar style of play to: Dwight Gayle
Latest football news
LUKE WANADIO
(Rochdale v BROMLEY)
Exciting winger and ex-Fulham scholar, 25, who has four goals this term to add to his 16 for Dartford in the league last season.
Similar style of play to: Yannick Bolasie
ALFIE PAVEY
(DARTFORD v Swindon)
The ex-Millwall forward, 22, is an old fashioned No 9 and has 12 goals this season for the National League South leaders.
Similar style of play to: Duncan Ferguson
OLADAPO AFOLAYAN
(SOLIHULL MOORS v Wycombe)
This striker, 20, joined from Loughborough Uni and has hit eight National League goals for a side bottom of the division. Swansea and Leicester said to have looked at him.
Similar style of play to: Kylian Mbappe
JOSH TAYLOR
(Cambridge v SUTTON)
Midfielder, 22, and ex-Crystal Palace schoolboy who supposedly joined Sutton after just 15 minutes of a trial game.
Similar style of play to: Juan Mata
JOE WARD
(WOKING v Bury)
The winger, 22, left Brighton in the summer having spent last season on loan at Danny Cowley’s successful Lincoln. He has scored six National League goals so far this season and was named in the most recent England C squad.
Similar style of play to: Gerard Deulofeu
JOAN LUQUE
(Exeter v HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS)
Spanish winger, 25, who came to the UK in the summer. Came through Barcelona’s academy and has 14 goals this season. Tracked by Stevenage, Colchester and Portsmouth.
Similar style of play to: Eden Hazard
JODY BROWN
Luque’s manager at Heybridge and the only gaffer on our list. Brown (right), 38, has built a Bostik League North side who have only lost one of 20 games this season, which includes seven fixtures to guide them to the first round of the FA Cup. Has studied the work of ex-Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson.
SunSport will have scouting reports on all ten in Monday’s Goals.