It's time to celebrate Jamie Vardy

Hands up who thought Jamie Vardy would be leading the race for the Premier League golden boot come the start of November?

Source: Getty Images

The hard running, lightning fast, laser accurate Vardy scored five goals last season for Leicester City. 

This season, he has 11 already, and is on a remarkable run on which he has scored in eight consecutive Premier League matches.

It puts him in the company of bona fide centre forward royalty. Ruud van Nistelrooy, who scored nearly 400 goals in his career, holds the scoring streak record, 10 games.

Van Nistelrooy also had another streak of eight games. Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright have been left in Vardy's wake.

But the most remarkable thing, is that Vardy is there at all.

You see, in 2011, Vardy was at Halifax Town in the Conference North, the fifth tier of English football. This itself was a step up from the delightfully named Stocksbridge Park Steelers, where Vardy ended up after he was released by Sheffield Wednesday as a youth player.

Indeed, he is no saint. He grew up in the "rough end of town" in Sheffield, and in the early days coaches were warned off him because he was "prone to trouble".

How long ago that seems now.

Vardy was earning about $60 a week, at the age of 20. Wayne Rooney, his now England team-mate, and only two years Vardy's senior, had already sealed a $50 million transfer to Manchester United from Everton at the same age.

Fleetwood Town profited from Vardy's considerable ability and 34 goals in 40 appearances saw Leicester City, then in the Championship, come calling.

Initially it seemed the four-tier jump from non-league football to the second tier of professional football was too much. 

Vardy, then 25, scored five goals in first season at Leicester. Then 16 goals followed the season after that, which saw Leicester promoted. 

He looked a decent player last season in the Premier League, a handful, as they say.

But this season, he looks as good as anyone. Pace has seen him terrorise many a defence and his finishing has been sublime. He now has a clinical edge that all top-class strikers possess.

Four caps for England have been his reward and with UEFA EURO 2016 on the horizon, he could leave his mark on the international stage.

The old adage about "wanting it more" rings true with Vardy. He just wants to score goals.

In only five years, Vardy has gone from non-league football to lead the Premier League strikers race into November, with an as-yet unfinished eight game goal scoring streak, and international recognition under his belt.

He should be celebrated, for it is an achievement which won't be matched for a long time yet. 

Follow @MattConnellan