Who de hell is Jay Demerit??!!
lol...u eh know the big big US player called Jay Demerit who overcame difficulty to become a big star??
The sad thing is there are people who believe this load of crap. There are countless players who started in the Non League who had decent stays in the Premier League, Paul Furlong, Jason Roberts, George Elokobi, Chris Smalling, etc., etc.. His story is only significant because stupid American "fans" don't realize this and he only played one season in the Premier League in which Watford were relegated.
You have a small point, but if you lived in England and followed football here, from top to bottom you wouldn't go on like that.
Yes, the internet is handy but if you see the amount of people who get knock backs it is a good story.
You used Paul Furlong as an example. Paul Furlong made it in 1988 when he was playing for Enfield FC. Making it from Non-League to the top back end was ALOT easier. My godfather used to go and watch PF play back in the day so I know his story well. In fact I played for EFC as a child so I saw his pictures etc in the clubhouse. You can mention Staurt Pearce, Ian Wright, Pardrew, Finnan, Collymore etc = Different ERA - BIG TIME. When you would have Division 1, as it was known back then, scouts at non-league game everyweek. These days PL clubs can just go out and buy a cheaper player or a ready made multi-millonaire player and with the European Union opened up it makes it a lot easier to get CHEAPER foreign imports.
I'm not mocking Jason but Jason was always going to get a chance, It's who you know at times. I respect that he made it and I love that he represents (represented) but with 3 uncles who played pro football, espeicaly as Cyrille as his uncle, he was always going to have hook ups.
Beckford made it from Non-League but played for Chelsea first. So he had a good record people knew about him and remembered him, it was just matter of time and staying applied. Same with DJ Campbell, he played for Villa but got his girl pregnant at 16 and was a likkle bad bwoy who didn't want to listen to anyone Lol
DeMerit came here with nothing on his back, the Chiago fire dev team he played for was loosely connected.
If you see the amount of players that get knock backs here. The amount of players who make it from non-league.It's RARE to see them go from Non-League to PREMIER League. DeMerit/Beckford/Elokobi/DJ Campbell were playing RYMAN lol If you go to Ryman games you have to respect who makes it from Ryman trust me! I go and watch throughout the year. It's easier to make it from Conference National/South/North because it's less regionalised.
I've seen 100s who are good enough, IMO and others, not make it for many reasons.
Question: How many League 1/League 2 English born players do you see get signed to PL clubs over other players from abroad/Came through academies?
Like Ray Lewington said on the video: Less than 1% make it. That is a fact!
In short: It's not a load of crap. It must be over hyped in the USA but please respect people journey because it is hard in England to make. Not as simple as you make it out to be.
Some times to even get a trial or a scout to come down can be hell. It's not countless as you make out. You see players from abroad or a handful of academy players, make it (I mean establish youself) in the PL everyyear, get in every transfer window. Non-League players are not signed to the PL as common as that, sometimes it's years between players making it from Non-League to PL.
Paul, wasn't a good example to use. I'm not mocking you, but telling you as it is. 1988 is different to 2011. Teams didn't have millions to spend, the would HAVE to go down to places like Southbury Road.
Also, just to rememeber, it's just one mans journey. There is lots of other REAL crap out there on TV/Film etc and not much people make up noise about it. You always have the option not to take notice lol. It's a PRODUCT, they have to SELL IT! HYPE IT UP! They're have to promote their thing, but still, it is not as common and easy as you make out.
Some more would make it if they moved out their area or went foreign, then try to return
Anyway: One of the best stories for me was Savidan who played for Caen.