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Jamie Vardy - The Boy from Nowhere: The True Story of the Genius Behind Leicester City's 5000-1 Winning Season: The Boy from Nowhere - The True Story of ... Leicester City's 5000-1 Winning Season

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PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

On 2 May 2016, 5000-1 outsiders Leicester City were confirmed as winners of the Premier League, in one of the greatest sporting shocks in history.

This most momentous of victories was fuelled by the goals, determination and desire of one Jamie Richard Vardy, a man who only a few years previously had been stuck in non-league football. Too small to play, too slight to mix it, earning so little that he was being forced out of the game he loved, the odds on what was to follow could not have been longer.

Yet after a meteoric rise through the football ranks, Jamie Vardy squared his shoulders against all the naysayers and set the Premier League on fire. By the time Christmas of 2015 rolled around, he had scored in eleven consecutive games, breaking Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy's twelve-year-old record in the process, and Leicester were well on their way to this most stunning of footballing triumphs.

In The Boy From Nowhere, bestselling sports writer Frank Worrall traces the true story of how Jamie Vardy went from non-league journeyman to inspirational talisman for Premier League champions Leicester City. This is the incredible tale of Jamie Vardy, the boy who came from nowhere to the top of the world.

309 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 19, 2016

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Frank Worrall

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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Justin.
796 reviews16 followers
July 19, 2020
This is a strange book. I get the sense Worrall needed to rush it to press immediately after Vardy's goal-scoring streak (although the book does include some quick comments on the team's championship, several points in the book mention it going to press midseason). The first few chapters are interesting, but then it gets wandering. There's no inside look and no interviews for the book. Worrall mostly collects reports, including news stories and online conversations, meaning most of the book reads like a giant report rather than a book.

It also contains tangents that I can only assume are there to make a short bio into a book-length project (this include backgrounds of some of LC's best players, the team's history in European play, and other non-league players who found EPL success). It becomes repetitive and could have used more attentive editing.

I read the last 2/3 of this as a skim, and I don't see this one being of much interested beyond serious Vardy/LC fans.
21 reviews
November 18, 2025
A remarkable sporting feat, but please find “Justin’s” review below and I feel exactly the same. The book wandered at time, and seemed to be made from reports with no actual interviews.

Still a freak for any type of sports underdog story, and being from North America and a footy fan, I can’t imagine a competitive in a sport over here.

Profile Image for Kelvin Zhou.
15 reviews
July 7, 2021
It’s an amazing rise for Vardy from non league to winning the title of the echelons of the British football league and representing England. That was no mean feat. However the book is not well written as there are a lot of repetition and pretty much you get the gist of it midway through.
2 reviews
June 25, 2025
Kirja on todella hätäisesti tehty, samoja asioita toistetaan luvusta toiseen. Kirjan jäsentely on myös hyvin kummallinen ja suomennos luokaton.
Profile Image for Tim.
233 reviews8 followers
May 30, 2016
Funny how some books can unexpectedly evoke emotions in you. This book made me feel absolutely raging!

It started so promising... The first 20 pages detailed a brief summary of the first decade of his career. Then... Nothing?!!

A chapter dedicated to Emile Heskey, another dedicated to Gary Lineker, and a few more chapters detailed the recent careers of Kevin Phillips, Ian Wright and Charlie Austin.

The rest of the book discussed why Vardy should be selected for the England Euro 2016 squad and a summary of Leicester City's 2013/14 and 2015/16 seasons.

Where were the insights? Where was the rich tapestry, the history of Vardy's life? I didnt learn anything from this book - other than some random fans views "John on twitter said..." Interspersed with opinions of journalists - the same press that repeatedly wrote Leicester off all season. Not sure I'm that interested in what they have to say!

And what does it take to employ a decent proof reader?!! So disappointed and almost a DNF - and thats coming from a passionate LCFC fan!!
1 review
January 17, 2017
Frank Worrall's biography on Jamie Vardy was very good. His recollections of from when Jamie was first released from his boyhood club at 16 up until his biggest season at Leicester City, where they won title. He goes in depth about Jamie Vardy's goal-scoring record and his accomplishments during his career. The one thing I would change about this book would be for Worrall to go less in depth about Leicester City's history and more about the legendary 5000-1 odd title winning season and Jamie Vardy's impact on the team ad their incredible feat. Overall, Good Read and I hope to read more books by this author
Profile Image for Evelyn.
60 reviews
January 3, 2021
Sometimes repetitive but the basic story is an interesting one and Frank Worrall gives some insight into a footballer who appeared to come from nowhere to lead Leicester City to the top of the Premier League,
Profile Image for Book.
11 reviews
June 28, 2016
Brilliant story how a average guy started from the bottom of the ladder, to the principal of the game. Excellent story if you like football stuff.
14 reviews1 follower
August 3, 2021
Promising first half but a poor second half. Great story but too repetitive.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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