Diamonds in the Rough explores the fairy-tale phenomenon of footballers who rose from the non-league to make their mark at the game’s top levels.
For all the glitz and glamour of the Premier League and EFL, they are hugely indebted to non-league football for the role it has played – and continues to play – in springboarding so many players to success.
The book relives the rise of 100 players from the humble non-league who made it to the big time of top-level football. It gives you:
- The inside track on climbing the football pyramid as a non-leaguer, revealed through exclusive interviews with players, managers and coaches
- Human-interest stories galore: from Troy Deeney being spotted playing at Sunday League level, to Ethan Pinnock turning to the solace of non-league after being released by an academy, only to rise again
- A metaphorical ‘trip on the Tube’ to unearth the best talent out of the London non-league scene
- An exploration of the non-league roots of numerous EFL striking greats
- Stories of the goalkeeping Goliaths who have graced non-league
- A scout’s advice on what it takes to unearth a ‘non-league gem’
In this unique book, you’ll discover where the players’ careers started, where they got their big breaks, plus their routes to the top. A must-read for all football lovers!
Joseph Pope is a keen follower of non-league football having supported Torquay United since 2008. He is an advocate for the lower leagues: in 2020, he launched ‘Off The Line Blog’, which showcases the very best of EFL and non-league football. The blog has had more than half-a-million views and was nominated for a Football Content Award in 2023. He has also written for the National League with a ‘Ones to Watch’ series.
