Southport FC has long been home to some of the most talented players in the non-league. The talents of some of these stars have been realised elsewhere, but it’s still fair to say that they will look back with fond memories of their time at Southport.
Down the years there have been some excellent players to grace the pitch for Southport, including Luther Blissett, Stan Mortensen and Bill Perry. All have left a mark on the footballing world, and these stars that have left Southport will be hoping that they can follow in their footsteps.
Amadou Bakayoko
Southport have always been willing to give young players a platform in order to help them progress as a player, and that is what they did with Amadou Bakayoko. The forward arrived at Haig Avenue aged 18 and quickly become an important player in the setup. Although he was signed on loan, he instantly became a fan favourite, and fans knew that he was going to make the grade in the Football League in the future.
During his first full season, he made eleven appearances and scored two goals. He later enjoyed loan spells at Telford United and Worcester City, before he was finally given his chance to shine for Walsall.
He became an integral part of their squad for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons before he signed for Coventry City in the summer of 2018 for an undisclosed fee. His career at Coventry has been a huge success, and most recently he has been an integral player in their 2019-20 season, where the Sky Blues have excelled. He has made 23 appearances and scored four goals in League One to this point.
David Raya
There could soon be an ex-Southport FC player playing his football in the Premier League. David Raya joined Southport on loan for the 2014-15 season, and immediately showcased the skills that saw Blackburn Rovers make a move for the Spanish goalkeeper. He played 16 times for the club in his season on loan, before becoming an important player in Blackburn’s rebuild.
He became the first-choice goalkeeper for Rovers in the 2017-18 season and made 45 appearances as the club were promoted back to the Championship.
He retained his spot throughout the 2018-19 season, as he made 41 appearances in the Championship. His performances attracted interest from a host of Championship clubs. Raya decided to join Brentford for a fee over £3 million, and he has been an integral player in their push for promotion this season.
He has made 37 appearances this season, and his performances have seen him earn a nomination for Goalkeeper of the Year at the London Football Awards.
Ben Davies
Another former Southport player that could soon be vying for a spot in the Premier League is central defender Ben Davies. The 24-year-old was signed by Preston as a schoolboy but was loaned out throughout his early years in order for him to get experience of playing competitively. Before being loaned to Southport, he enjoyed spells at York City and Tranmere Rovers.
He signed for Southport in the winter of 2015, and he played nine games in the second half of the season as Southport finished 16th in the National League.
Davies had further loan spells at Newport County and Fleetwood Town, before returning to Preston to become an essential player in their side. He has made at least 30 appearances in each of the last three seasons for Preston in the Championship.
This season he has made 30 appearances and has been a vital player in the club’s push for a playoff spot. There are even rumours that he might join a Premier League club soon.
There you have it, 3 players that had fairly successful careers after leaving Southport FC. Who did we miss? Who would you add? And if you fancy your chances of guessing football results when the big leagues return to action click here: https://extra.betamerica.com/soccer/
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