Many years ago non-league was considered a breeding ground for hungry players wanting and waiting for the chance to break into the professional game. There was a lull when clubs decided it was cheaper to import foreign talents who were no better than some English counterparts but clubs were priced out of the market for home grown players.
You can go back to the late 1980’s when Vinnie Jones and Stuart Pearce were the most high profile players to tread the pathway. Since then many have trodden the path as well but while the well didn’t run dry the opportunity became limited.
Premier League clubs began to cherry pick the very best youngsters at an early age to join their academies, although a very small percentage actually make it and many end up dropping down to non-league to start a career.
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Others suffer mentally with the rejection and drift away from the game, even after heading to our levels to play some football, the difference in worlds is not even comparable.
But, over the last few years it’s taking a turn for the better and more clubs are beginning to look towards non-league football and picking up some fantastic gems. It’s not only the National League that bigger clubs are looking at but down as far as Step 4 and occasionally Steps 5 and 6.
For many it’s a low risk investment if they don’t work out moving up four or five levels, sometimes they can even get a fee back which might cover the cost of that player’s wages over the course of his contract, nothing ventured, nothing gained or even lost.
For years in the non-league game clubs dipped down and picked up the best players turning them into better players and selling them on for a profit, Barry Fry at Barnet is one who springs to mind as one of the best.
Not only did he do it there his influence as Director of Football at Peterborough is now making the same happen for the League One club. Not surprisingly they enjoy a good relationship with the club at The Hive and it’s almost a running joke which Barnet player will be the next one to depart for London Road.
But they are looking everywhere and not only do they provide a good platform for players to improve and then move on for a huge fee, some of which they invest back into the lower levels to find the next rough diamond. They also include a sell on fee or other incentives too, they look after the club they bought the player from, then there is every chance of repeat business, it’s a simple way to operate and protects the non-league game as well.
Ivan Toney, Jack Taylor, Joe Taylor, just a few who have moved on and then replaced by the next player to make the club remain in a good place on the balance sheet.
This summer both Taylor’s moved on, Jack to Ipswich which saw Barnet receive a sell on fee, Joe to Premier League new boys Luton Town and subsequently out on loan to Colchester Utd for the season.
Ryan De Havilland arrived to take Jack’s place while Kabongo Tshimanga also joined permanently, they also picked up David Kawa from AFC Wimbledon who spent last season at Step 4 Sevenoaks Town and he will join their development squad initially before more than likely making the step upwards.
They aren’t the only club however, Barnet looked below last season at Worthing and this year at Chelmsford and Brackley, Dorking Wanderers went down to Step 5 to pick up Jaevon Dyer from Epsom & Ewell, bargains are there to be found if the recruitment process is good.
Even players like Jamal Lowe who was released when Barnet were a Football League club took a step down into non-league and has proved his worth as a top league player, the route to the top isn’t always plain sailing.
I hope inside the next couple of years we’re watching record levels of players moving up and making a success of it proving that non-league is really is a level we know that it is and being released isn’t the be all and end all for some of these lads.
