Jamie Vardy's rags-to-riches record-breaking football career as he quits Leicester City
Very few have gone from the depths of the English football pyramid to the absolute pinnacle. Jamie Vardy embodied the footballing fairytale; against all the odds he became the oldest winner of the Premier League (EPL) Golden Boot and broke the record for the most consecutive games scored in the football (soccer) Premier League.
The player announced last week that he was quitting Leicester City in an emotional video posted on Instagram.
In it, he said: “To the fans of Leicester, gutted that this day is coming, but I knew it was going to come eventually.
“After 13 unbelievable years at this club, with lots of success, some downs, but the majority all highs, it’s finally time to call it a day, which I’m devastated about, but I think the timing is right.
“I just want to sincerely thank you all for taking me in as one of your own. Leicester will always have a massive place in my heart and I’ll make sure that I will be following for the years to come in what I hope will be an even more successful club, but as for now, this is my goodbye.
“But you will see my again soon, I promise. Thank you.”
As he prepares to depart his beloved team, we’re taking a look back on his record-breaking football story.
Vardy’s £1 million move from Fleetwood Town to Leicester City was the start of a rags-to-riches story.
His football career came with its trials and tribulations. At the age of 16 he was released by Sheffield Wednesday, he then had to ply his trade in non-league football with Stocksbridge Park Steels. His non-league career continued well into his twenties as he also went on to play for FC Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town FC.
It is at Fleetwood Town where the prelude to Vardy’s meteoric footballing rise would commence. He only spent one year at Fleetwood Town; in that season he managed to finish top scorer in the Conference Premier Division. It was his goals that massively aided Fleetwood Town’s first ever promotion to the Football League.
Vardy’s achievements at Fleetwood Town caught the eye of Championship outfit Leicester City. They took a chance on him by paying £1 million in 2012. In no time, Vardy would prove that the money spent on him was more than worth it. He proved doubters wrong with his relentless pace, sheer determination and accompanied those attributes with priceless goals, that eventually led Leicester City to the top division and an unprecedented Premier League title in the 2015-16 season. It was in this season where Vardy etched his name in English football folklore, he spearheaded Leicester City to a miraculous title win with 24 goals.
A Leicester City title win that year was given odds of 5000-1, creating one of the most legendary underdog stories in sporting history. Vardy also smashed the most consecutive games scored in the football (soccer) Premier League record during this season.
Vardy’s dynamism, tenacity and goalscoring abilities made him a cult hero for his club. He played an integral part in Leicester City securing Champions League qualification for the first time in the club’s history and the club achieved FA Cup success in 2021. On a personal level, he managed to win Premier League Player of the season for the 2015-16 season and the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2019-20 season. He was also in the PFA Team of the Year in 2016 and Premier League team of the year in 2020.
The spectacular rise of Vardy resulted in a call-up for the England national team in 2015, where he made his debut against the Republic of Ireland. He went on to represent England at Euro 2016 and World Cup 2018, totalling 26 England caps. The England call up encapsulated Vardy’s rags-to-riches story, his relentless pursuit of success through the footballing ladder made him a well-respected figure in football and created a story that inspires belief.