Meet the next Jamie Vardy: Brodie Litchfield
It’s seen by many as the best league in the world and it’s clear to see why. Football these days is determined by events more off the pitch than on, let me explain. The Barclays Premier League is a worldwide brand, just look at how many different countries it’s been marketed in as a result of this ‘worldwide appeal’, the deal for TV rights was agreed at a whopping £5.1 billion!
BT Sport and Sky Sports share the responsibility of broadcasting some of the best players ever to grace the football pitch. Whether it be Sergio Aguero, Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez - but this season the standout player arguably has been Leicester’s Jamie Vardy.
Vardy who started out at Sheffield Wednesday as a teen broke Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s long-standing record of scoring in 10 successive games by scoring in 11. The reason why many have been raving about the Sheffield-born front man has been due to his very modest early football career.
The 29-year old Vardy had spells earlier in his career with Halifax and Sheffield Wednesday, where he started out his football journey. After getting released by his hometown club a move to Stocksbridge followed, which then lead to a move to Halifax and that’s where the now 29-year-old attracted the public eye.
Vardy’s achievements has shown the value of sourcing local talent. As good players as your Ozil’s, your Sanchez’s and Aguero’s are, it’s fair to say that a £1 million signing from Fleetwood Town has stolen the show this season.
Leicester who took ‘the chance’ on Vardy in 2012 are definitely reaping the benefits as he and Riyadh Mahrez are pushing Leicester to what seemed like an unlikely title push. The success of those two players has lead to many of Europe’s top clubs looking to sign Jamie Vardy.
The success of the Sheffield-born front man, has lead to clubs to do more to source talent like the Sheffield Wednesday trainee, so much that Arsenal have signed Leicester’s Ben Wigglesworth.
Not many would know this, but it was Wigglesworth who was responsible for sourcing those talents (Mahrez and Vardy). With that in mind that, what if I was to tell you that the ‘next Jamie Vardy’ is ‘right under your nose’.
Not sure what I mean? I am talking about Brodie Litchfield. Litchfield is a striker who is on loan at Stocksbridge (the club where Jamie Vardy spent three years) and is 18 years of age - and also plays as a striker, just like a certain Mr Vardy.
One thing that Brodie does have over his fellow Yorkshireman is that he is the youngest first team debutant at Stockbridge, something which Jamie Vardy can’t even say. The Sheffield United youngster boasts over a very prolific goal ratio of over a goal a game in the past two seasons with a respectable nine and six assists in the past seasons as well.
Don’t just take my word for it, Stocksbridge chairman Allan Bethel in 2015 said quite simply: “Brodie is better than Jamie Vardy when Brody was Jamie Vardy’s age”. If that’s not a ringing endorsement, I don’t what is.
Despite being relatively young, Brodie Litchfield has gained valuable experience at youth team football level with FA youth cup experience with Sheffield United and Stocksbridge. It’s not just goals that Brodie has to offer, the Sheffield United man just like Vardy is a very tenacious player and doesn’t give defenders a minute to rest.
To put it simply the 18-year old Brodie Litchfield has the potential to be as good as Vardy if not better. G154 limited who represent the teenager are very enthused about their client who is tipped for big things.
