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The next Jamie Vardy? Top 10 contenders

Who could be the next Jamie Vardy?
Image: Who could be the next Jamie Vardy?

To celebrate Vanarama's new prostate cancer challenge, here's 10 National League players who could be the next Jamie Vardy...

Vanarama, and its newly launched personal leasing brand, Motorama, has set itself a 45-day challenge across September and October to raise £150,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. Lease a van, save a man. Find out more here.

Our friends at Football Whispers have done the hard yards to scour the National League, which sponsored by Vanarama, to find 10 of the most sought-after breakout stars plying their trade in the fifth tier of English football....

10. Lyle Della-Verde - Braintree Town

Lyle Della-Verde's career looked to be heading in an upward trajectory when he left Southend United to join Fulham's academy back in 2012. The winger turned professional on his 17th birthday, but never broke into the first-team set-up at Craven Cottage.

Despite loans spells at Bristol Rovers, Fleetwood Town and Crawley Town, it was only in the National League South that Della-Verde really found his feet - first with Welling United, then with Concord Rangers and Dartford.

His form at Princes Park caught the eye of Braintree Town manager Brad Quinton, who brought him to the Essex club in the summer. A tricky wide man with precise passing ability, the 23-year-old might not be at Cressing Road for too much longer after an impressive start to the season.

9. Blair Turgott - Maidstone United

Much was expected of Blair Turgott from a young age, after he impressed in the West Ham United academy and represented England from U16 to U19 level.

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The talented winger ultimately did not make the grade at the Hammers, and dropped out of the EFL after a solitary season with Leyton Orient in 2015-16.

Turgott turned to Jamie Vardy's V9 Academy in the hope of resurrecting his career, following a successful 15-goal season with fifth-tier Bromley.

Once again a move to League Two Stevenage didn't work out though, resulting in a brief stint with Boreham Wood before arriving at current club Maidstone United.

Turgott is undoubtedly in the last chance saloon with the Stones, but looks to have grasped the opportunity with both hands. The 24-year-old has scored six times already this season and still has age on his side - EFL clubs will be monitoring Turgott's progress to see if he might finally be able to step up at the third time of asking.

8. Dayle Southwell - Halifax Town

Dayle Southwell is another player searching for redemption after an unsuccessful spell in the Football League.

Wycombe Wanderers signed the forward in 2016, following a prolific two seasons at Boston United. Southwell struck 54 times in 84 matches at National League North level, but could not reproduce the same form at Adams Park, scoring just one league goal in two years.

Dayle Southwell
Image: Dayle Southwell spent two seasons at Wycombe before leaving earlier this year

The 24-year-old will be looking to resurrect his career at new club Halifax Town and has already made a promising start, finding the net four times in their opening 12 matches. If the Grimsby-born striker can continue to rediscover his goal-scoring touch then it might not be long before another EFL side come calling.

7. Jack Hindle - Barrow

Jack Hindle spent his formative years in the lower reaches of the non-league game, captaining Radcliffe Borough and turning out for 1874 Northwich, before catching the eye of visiting scouts at Northern Premier League Division One side Colwyn Bay last season.

The versatile forward scored 13 times and managed an incredible 21 assists during his debut campaign with the Seagulls, convincing National League club Barrow to offer the 24-year-old a contract in the summer.

He has not let them down so far, repaying the Cumbrians' faith with four goals already this season. Hindle could well be another example of a late developer rising through the divisions in his mid-20s, mirroring the career trajectory of non-league success story Vardy.

6. Nicke Kabamba - Havant and Waterlooville

Nicke Kabamba, 25, has the potential to be the complete forward. The 6ft 3ins target man is a strong and physical player with an impressive burst of pace - the Brent-born striker was a sprinter in his youth, but opted for join Hayes and Yeading's academy setup in 2010.

He went on to enjoy double-figure goal hauls at Uxbridge and Burnham, before scoring an impressive 40 times in 80 games for Hampton and Richmond Borough.

That record alerted Portsmouth to his availability, but Kabamba struggled for opportunities with Pompey and was released in 2018.

Having finally found first-team football at fellow Hampshire club Havant and Waterlooville, the forward has been getting amongst the goals once again - five strikes already this season suggest we may be about to witness a goal-scoring renaissance from the powerful No 9 over the coming months.

Jamie Vardy's career started at Stocksbridge Park Steels before moving to Halifax, Fleetwood (pictured) and then Leicester
Image: Jamie Vardy's career started at Stocksbridge Park Steels before moving to Halifax, Fleetwood (pictured) and then Leicester

5. Serhat Tasdemir - AFC Fylde

Serhat Tasdemir is one of the hottest prospects in the National League, after enjoying a stellar breakout campaign with AFC Fylde.

The 18-year-old is a home-grown talent, graduating from the Coasters' youth system and forcing his way into the first-team set-up. His performances were instrumental in helping Dave Challinor's team to the National League play-offs last season, and the winger was presented with the club's Young Player of the Year award in 2017-18 as a result.

Rumours persist the youngster is set for an England U19s call-up in the near future, and Tasdemir has been strongly linked with a transfer to Leicester City. This is definitely one player to keep an eye on over the coming years.

4. Jack Barham - Barnet

Barnet manager John Still dipped into the lower reaches of the footballing pyramid this summer, snapping up 37-goal hotshot Jack Barham from Isthmian League side Greenwich Borough.

The prolific 22-year-old previously had trials with Millwall and Cambridge United, but it was the Bees who were able to secure the energetic forward's signature.

Ten assists last season hint at a player who has more to his game than goals, and he has already impressed the Barnet faithful with his work rate and dogged determination.

Initially earmarked as 'one for the future', an early-season injury crisis handed Barham his first-team opportunity and he has not looked back, scoring two goals in the opening six weeks of the campaign.

3. Mike Fondop-Talom - Wrexham

With powerful forwards a valuable commodity at EFL level, Mike Fondop-Talom may soon be attracting interest from clubs higher up the food chain after an eye-catching start to life at the Racecourse Ground.

Mike Fondop-Talom

The 6ft 2ins striker displayed excellent hold-up play and an impressive ability to bring team-mates into the game at former sides Guiseley and Halifax Town, but has never previously been prolific in front of goal.

That seems to be changing this season, with Fondop-Talom hitting the back of the net five times since signing for Wrexham in the summer. The Dragons will be hoping the 24-year-old can fire them back into the Football League this season ­- that may well be the only way they will keep hold of the Cameroon-born front man.

2. Macauley Bonne - Leyton Orient

Macauley Bonne is the National League striker grabbing all the headlines at the moment, after a debut season for Leyton Orient which saw him score 25 goals in 52 games.

The poacher looks to have carried that form into this campaign - his six strikes in August and September have lifted the O's to the summit of the division under the stewardship of manager Justin Edinburgh.

Bonne has been something of a surprise success at Brisbane Road, having failed to register double figures in any season before arriving at the club. The 22-year-old has his best years ahead of him, and looks certain to sign for a higher division club at some point in the near future.

1. Josh Kelly - Maidenhead United

Maidenhead United manager Alan Devonshire is a coach who is adept at polishing rough diamonds and selling them on to bigger clubs. His latest discovery comes from the Magpies' own youth team, in the form of 19-year-old academy graduate Josh Kelly.

The striker set the Isthmian League alight last season, when he scored an unbelievable 40 goals for Walton Casuals on loan.

That form prompted Devonshire to throw Kelly into the first team and the striker has certainly seized his chance. Five goals and a string of impressive performances this season have put EFL scouts on red alert that United may have the National League's next Jamie Vardy on their hands.

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