Jamie Vardy

Early career

Vardy was in the youth system at Sheffield Wednesday, but was released when he was 16. He then played at Stocksbridge Park Steels, earning £120 a week. After making his way through the reserve team, he made his first team league debut under manager Peter Rinkcavage in 2006. His real break out came under manager Gary Marrow during the 2007–08 season. After impressive displays, a number of Football League teams became interested and in 2009 he spent a week on trial with Crewe Alexandra. A move did not materialise and he later turned down a short-term contract with Rotherham United. Vardy scored a total of 55 goals for the club in all competitions. He helped the team win the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup and promotion to the Northern Premier League in 2008–09. In June 2010, manager Neil Aspin, a longtime admirer of Vardy's talents, signed him for FC Halifax Town for a fee of £15,000. He made his debut on 21 August 2010 in the home match against Buxton, scoring the winning goal in a match that ended 2–1 to his new club. Vardy had a successful first season with "the Shaymen" finishing as the club's top goalscorer with 25 goals from 37 appearances and being voted the Player's Player of the Season. Towards the end of the season he came close to scoring a hat-trick of hat-tricks but failed to find a third goal in Halifax's 3–1 win over Nantwich Town. His goals helped secure the Northern Premier League Premier Division title for the 2010–11 season. Vardy…

On 21 May 2015, Vardy was called up to the England national team for the first time ahead of a friendly against the Republic of Ireland and a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Slovenia. He made his debut on 7 June in the goalless draw against the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, replacing England captain, Wayne Rooney, for the final 15 minutes. On 30 August, Vardy was again called up to the England squad for the matches against San Marino and Switzerland in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, being selected in the starting line-up as England ran out 6–0 winners against San Marino in Serravalle six days later. Vardy scored his first international goal on 26 March 2016, equalising with a back heel from Nathaniel Clyne's cross, as a substitute in a 3–2 away win against Germany. He scored again, three days later, the opening goal in a 2–1 defeat to the Netherlands at Wembley Stadium. Vardy made his tournament debut on 16 June, in England's second group match at UEFA Euro 2016, coming off the bench in the second half to score an equalising goal against Wales, helping his team come from behind to win the match 2–1. During the tournament, there were media rumours of a feud between Vardy and fellow striker Rooney, which were denied by manager Roy Hodgson. Vardy was named in the 23-man England squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He was used sparingly during the tournament, starting only the final group stage match against Belgium as England reached the World Cup…

Vardy was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to Richard Gill and Lisa Clewes. His biological father walked out on the family when Vardy was still an infant. His mother later married Phil Vardy, and he took his stepfather's surname. Vardy grew up in the Hillsborough area of inner-city Sheffield. His stepfather was a crane worker and his mother worked at a solicitors' office. Growing up, he was a fan of Sheffield Wednesday where he idolised striker David Hirst. In the 1990s and 2000s, Vardy witnessed the intense rivalry in the city of Sheffield between fans of Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United that culminated in memorable Steel City derbies. On the rivalry, he notes: "It was always good when they were playing against each other. The atmospheres that you get were really good and people live for football. So games like this for Sheffield are massive and obviously bragging rights and everything that go with it." Being a lifelong Sheffield Wednesday fan, the rivalry led to Vardy performing some memorable celebrations against Sheffield United fans including Leicester City's 2–1 win against United where Vardy scored and celebrated in front of the home fans at Bramall Lane.

Vardy is a fan of Sheffield Wednesday, one of the clubs in his home town. Before turning professional, Vardy combined playing non-League football with a job as a technician making medical splints. In 2007, he received a conviction for assault following an incident outside a pub, and had to play with an electronic tag fitted for six months, while his curfew also limited his playing time at Stocksbridge Park Steels. In August 2015, The Sun on Sunday published a video of Vardy at a casino the previous month, calling a man of East Asian origin a "Jap". He apologised for a "regrettable error of judgement" and was fined by Leicester, who put him on an educational course. Vardy met Rebekah Nicholson in 2014 while she was working as a nightclub promoter. The couple married on 25 May 2016 at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, with David Nugent as the best man. Vardy has four biological children: three with his wife, and one from a previous relationship. He is also a stepfather to two children from his wife's previous relationships. In November 2015, Vardy launched V9 Academy, an annual week-long camp designed to offer coaching and guidance to 60 non-League players and offer them the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of scouts from league clubs. The same month, Stocksbridge Park Steels named their main stand after him. In December 2015, the Leicester-based food manufacturer Walkers brought out a limited edition 'Vardy Salted' crisp flavour, in recognition of Vardy's…