Source: Daily_Mail
Football heroes who came from the non-league - Friday five
Chris Smalling's time at Isthmian League outfit Maidstone United is a distant memory.But the defender is one of an increasingly rare breed of player who climbed up from the non-league to star in the Premier League, moving from the Kent minnows to Old Trafford, via Fulham. Feet on the ground: Chris Smalling has enjoyed a rapid rise to the topSmalling will have no regrets about giving up on Millwall at 14 - when travelling to London proved too difficult for his single mother - to start at the bottom. As he prepares to take on his former club with league leaders United on Saturday, Sportsmail remembers other stars who have worked their way up from bottom to take the top-flight by storm. John BarnesThe Liverpool hero was spotted by non-league side Sudbury Court while playing in a park, and then signed by Watford for a set of kit in 1981. The left winger helped the club complete their six-season rise from the fourth division to the top-flight before Kenny Dalglish paid ?900,000 to take him to Anfield in 1987. Jamaica-born Barnes became an England stalwart, even recording a memorable rap on New Order's World in Motion at the 1990 World Cup.Ian WrightThe Arsenal legend and former England striker was playing for non-league teams including Greenwich Borough and Dulwich Hamlet until he was almost 22 years old. Following unsuccessful trials at Southend and Brighton, he was finally bought by Crystal Palace in 1985, for the price of a set of weights. Top gun: Much-loved Arsenal favourite Ian Wright became the club's record goalscorerAfter six years and 117 goals for Palace, the former plasterer left to become the Gunners' all-time top scorer (until Thierry Henry came along) and win 33 international caps.Stuart Pearce'Psycho' began his career working as an electrician and plumber while playing for Wealdstone. Then top-flight Coventry shelled out ?30,000 for him in 1983, and the left back joined Nottingham Forest two years later, making 76 appearances for England. Cult hero: Pearce famously celebrated his penalty against Spain at Euro '96 with a roarHe became infamous for two penalties - one he missed in the World Cup semi-final against West Germany in 1990 and one he scored against Spain at Euro 1996, triggering that wild scream of joy.Les Ferdinand'Sir Les' played for Southall as a boy and then non-league Hayes, before being signed by QPR for ?15,000 in 1987. It was a slow start, with the striker finding himself loaned out to Brentford and then Turkish club Besiktas, but he soon settled in, scoring 90 goals in 184 games for the Hoops.He was then snapped up for ?6million by Newcastle, where he formed a lethal alliance with Alan Shearer and began clocking up his 17 England caps.Chris WaddleThe winger worked in a sausage-seasoning factory while playing for Northern League side Tow Law Town. After an unsuccessful trial at Sunderland, second-division Newcastle signed him for ?1,000 in 1980 and he fired them into the top-flight. Diamond light: Chris Waddle, who spent a successful spell at Sheffield Wednesday, enjoyed an illustrious careerThen came a spell at Tottenham and a move to Marseille for an impressive ?4.5million.The mulleted midfielder's pop career didn't really bite, but he became footballer of the year at Sheffield Wednesday in 1993 and won 62 caps for England. Chris who? Non-league to Under 21s, Smalling is making a name for himselfManchester United's ?10m boy Chris Smalling was snubbed by Chelsea Smalling swaps warm-up at Whitstable for American tour with United Explore more:People: Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes, Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Stuart Pearce Places: Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Spain, Jamaica, United Kingdom