Jamie Vardy aspired to play professional football for Sheffield Wednesday from early on. Having been trained at the club’s youth academy from a young age, he could not imagine a future without the sport. Unfortunately, his dream was dashed, at just 16, when he was released by his boyhood club for being not big enough to succeed as a footballer.

“Anger and confusion were bubbling up inside. Everything I’d ever wanted had just been snatched away from me,” Vardy reveals in his autobiography Jamie Vardy: From Nowhere, My Story. Co-written with Stuart James, Vardy’s autobiography chronicles his meteoric rise to fame from an anonymous non-league football player to an iconic, prolific goalscorer for Leicester City—the Premier League champions for the 2015-16 season. Disillusioned and distraught after being rejected, he admits that he “was a bit wild,” embroiled in trouble in his late teens, which were marked by scuffles and a curfew following a conviction for assault.

Determined not to give up on his football dream, Vardy toiled on the factory floor in the daytime, while pouring himself into gruelling training sessions after work. His goal-scoring touch and amazing speed set him apart from others as he climbed every rung of the non-league ladder with Stocksbridge Park Steels, Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town. His relentless efforts paid off when Leicester City, nicknamed the Foxes, signed him in May 2012 for £1 million, a record fee for a non-league player. It was a bold gamble for the club, considering that the newbie had yet to make a League appearance at the age of 25.

It was not all plain sailing following his fairy-tale transfer, as the footballer struggled on the pitch, managing only four league goals in his debut season. With confidence ebbing, he found himself at rock bottom in the second half of the 2012-13 season as he was reduced to a place on the bench. At one point he wished he could just walk away from the mess and “go back to Fleetwood Town on loan”. It was Nigel Pearson, the club’s manager, who put his faith in him, instilling in Vardy the confidence that he “could play at that level”.

In hindsight, Pearson’s support and reassurance proved career-defining for Vardy, who persevered, fought back and delivered an impressive 16 goals in the following season. Thanks to his spectacular turnaround, Leicester City clinched the Championship title, earning promotion to the Premier League for the 2014-15 season.

The rags-to-riches narrative did not end here, as the Foxes returned to the Premier League with promising performances including a dramatic 5-3 win over Manchester United and managed to stay in the top flight. In a stunning turn of events, the club defied all odds and was crowned Premier League champions in the 2015-16 season, despite being tipped for relegation at the start of the season. Vardy had more to celebrate than the trophy, as the prodigious striker netted in a record 11 Premier League matches in a row and scored 24 goals in 36 starts throughout the season. Just one more goal would have secured him the Premier League Golden Boot alongside England striker Harry Kane.

Vardy’s first cap for England in 2015 added to his legend. Having previously struggled to make ends meet, Vardy could hardly believe that he was playing in the top league of English football and representing his country. He recalls laughing when John Morris, his agent, suggested that “you can go on and play for England.” “You can’t be serious,” he had said, but it was Morris who proved correct.

Chapter 10 of the book, “In the Eye of a Storm”, offers a rare glimpse into Vardy’s personal struggles amidst his rise to fame, addressing controversies surrounding his racist remarks and the intense media scrutiny of his family feud. He found it hard to “get used to being in the limelight”, with people watching his every move. There were times when the stress became unbearable. “I wish I could go back to those days when I was so anonymous …” admits Vardy. While football aficionados may admire him as an underdog champion, he is, after all, a man of flesh and blood.

Vardy’s story delivers a message that resonates far beyond the football pitch. It shows how late bloomers can achieve stellar success, regardless of who they are and where they come from. His journey is a testament to unswerving resilience, perseverance and determination in charting a bold future.