Did Any National League Top Scorers Emulate Vardy? – Part 2 – Opinion

Having looked at the fifth tier’s top scorers from 2011-12 to 2014-15 to find out if any of them have emulated the success of Jamie Vardy in Part 1 we will now look at those players from the 2015-16 to the 2018-19 seasons.  

2015-16: Dan Holman (Woking & Cheltenham Town) & Pádraig Amond (Grimsby Town)

Title Winners: Cheltenham Town

Play Off Winners: Grimsby Town

Relegated: Altrincham, FC Halifax Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Welling United 

2015-16 was the only season from the previous thirteen to have a joint top scorer with Dan Holman from Cheltenham Town and Pádraig Amond from Grimsby Town both scoring a total of 30 goals. 

Dan Holman had an unconventional start to his playing career having started off with youth sides Northampton ON Chenecks, Long Buckby & Moulton Magpies. Holman got the attention of EFL side Colchester United after a spell at Braintree Town where he scored 24 goals in 69 appearances. 

He signed a two year deal with the U’s in 2014 but never made an impact on the first team and had a number of uninspiring loan spells at Wrexham, Aldershot Town and Dover Athletic. Still out of favour at Colchester he was sent out on loan to Woking ahead of the 2015-16 season which was where he showcased his goal scoring talents. 

Having scored a total of 14 goals from 26 appearances for the Cardinals he was snapped up by fellow National League side Cheltenham. Holman then went on to add an additional 16 goals in 18 appearances for the Robins to finish joint-top scorer and win the title with Cheltenham. Despite a prolific season, it was a one season wonder for the striker who never made an impact in the EFL. The 34 year old has since played for a number of non-league clubs most recently Barwell from the Southern League Premier Division Central. 

Pádraig Amond had a more successful career when compared to fellow top scorer Holman but never reached the heights of top scorers prior to him. Amond started his career in Ireland with Shamrock Rovers, Kildare County and Silgo Rovers. 

After a brief spell in Portugal with Paços de Ferreira, the striker played in the EFL with Accrington Stanley and Morecambe scoring 21 goals in a two year spell with the latter. In 2015, Amond moved to Grimsby Town and had his most prolific season in 2015-16, scoring 30 goals from 40 appearances, helping the Mariners to promotion via the playoffs. 

The Irish striker then spent seven of the next eight seasons within League Two predominantly with Newport County. Despite not reaching the third tier like many of his fellow National League top scorers, he had many successful seasons in South Wales with the Exiles having scored against the likes of Leicester City, Middlesbrough and Manchester City in the side’s run to the FA Cup fifth round in 2018-19. 

The 36 year old striker has most recently appeared for Exeter City, Woking and currently is the number 9 for League of Ireland side Waterford. 

2016-17: Ricky Miller (Dover Athletic) 

Title Winners: Lincoln City

Play Off Winners: Forest Green Rovers

Relegated: Braintree Town, North Ferriby United, Southport, York City

The definition of a journeyman footballer, Ricky Miller has played for a total of 23 different clubs during his career. However, Miller is another National League top scorer who has not hit the heights that many might have expected him to, especially after the 2016-17 season.

Miller played for a number of non-league sides at the start of his career including the likes of Stamford, Hitchin Town, Wealdstone and Boston United. It was with the latter that the striker had his first prolific season with 24 goals scored in the 40 appearances made in the Conference North. 

His season at Boston earned him a move to the football league with Luton Town but scoring one goal in his twelve appearances saw the striker move to Dover Athletic After an impressive season in 2015-16 with 20 goals in 45 games, Miller stepped up in 2016-17 and almost scored a goal every game with 40 goals in the 41 appearances made. 

His goals took the club to the cusp of the play offs and also broke the National League record for the highest number of goals scored by a single player in a season. On the back of this, Miller got a move to League One side Peterborough United on a three year deal. 

Despite his success in the National League, the striker never hit the same level of form in the football league. After moves to fellow League Two sides Mansfield Town and Port Vale he spent 18 months away from the sport, later revealing that he had struggled with his mental health. 

The 35 year old returned to the sport in 2021 and played for a number of non league clubs including Aldershot Town, Grantham Town and most recently a fifth spell with Stamford. 

2017-18: Andy Cook (Tranmere Rovers) 

Title Winners: Macclesfield Town

Play Off Winners: Tranmere Rovers

Relegated: Chester, Guiseley, Torquay United, Woking

Another National League top scorer whose name will be familiar with EFL supporters. The striker has spent much of his career appearing for sides in the North of England and was the National League top scorer in 2017-18. 

The 6ft 1in frontman started his career in Cumbria with Carlisle United before loan spells with fellow Cumbrian sides Workington and Barrow. A move to the latter was made permanent in 2010 which was where the striker seemingly had the first success in his career scoring 17 goals in 38 appearances during the 2011-12 campaign. 

A two season stint at Grimsby Town followed before Cook found himself back with the Bluebirds and scored 47 goals in 87 appearances. It was here that Cook caught the eye of Tranmere Rovers and after a successful first season scoring 23 goals in 44 appearances he helped Tranmere to promotion in 2017-18 becoming the league’s top scorer with 26 goals in 41 appearances. 

Despite not reaching the levels of Andre Gray and Jamie Vardy, Cook has had a fairly successful career after becoming the National League’s top scorer. A move to Walsall in League One followed with 13 goals in 43 appearances, despite the Saddlers being relegated.

It took a few seasons for Cook to find a club where he was successful again with uninspiring spells at Mansfield Town and Tranmere Rovers again before a move to Bradford City in 2020. Cook was League Two’s top scorer in 2022-23 with 28 goals in 46 appearances for the Bantams, helping them to a spot in the playoffs. The 33 year old signed a three year deal with the club following the 2022-23 season and is very much a fans favourite for the Yorkshire club. 

2018-19: Danny Rowe (AFC Fylde) 

Title Winners: Leyton Orient

Play Off Winners: Salford City

Relegated: Braintree Town, Maidstone United, Gateshead, Havant & Waterlooville

Danny Rowe was one of those National League top scores that was suited to one club only, AFC Fylde. 

Having joined Manchester United at the age of 12 Rowe never got going at the Red Devils and was released four years later. His first taste of senior football was for Blackpool Wren Rovers where he scored 63 goals in 68 games. 

A number of spells in non-league with clubs such as Kendal Town, Fleetwood Town and Lincoln City followed before a move to Conference North side AFC Fylde. The striker went on to have a six year spell with the Coasters during a successful period for the Lancashire side. 

During their National League North promotion campaign, Rowe scored 47 goals in 42 appearances before continuing his form despite the step up a division. His first National League season saw him score 24 goals in 46 appearances to help Fylde to a playoff place. In 2018-19 he became the league’s top scorer with 27 goals in 45 appearances and helped the club to the playoff final and success in the FA Trophy. 

Despite his success at AFC Fylde, having scored 155 goals in 241 appearances, Rowe never hit anywhere near the same level in the EFL. Stints at Oldham Athletic and Bradford City followed but 12 goals across three seasons led to him returning to the National League with Chesterfield. 

Loan spells at back with Fylde and at York City followed before a spell at Macclesfield was ended by an underlying health condition. The 35 year old did not find the form in his later career to emulate his successful goal scoring seasons let alone the likes of Jamie Vardy.