From Non-League Unknown to FA Cup Legend: How One Striker Outsmarted Haaland, Salah, and Isak to Claim the Golden Ball—and Secured a Legacy for His Children

Here we go, folks—the FA Cup’s curtain rises this weekend with its first qualifying round, where gritty teams from Level 7 of the English football ladder step into the spotlight. Picture this: hometown heroes like Lancaster City, Real Bedford, Havant & Waterlooville, and Cray Valley Paper Mills gearing up for their grand entrance, eager to etch their names into the folklore of this storied tournament. Now, it’s not just about showing up—it’s about chasing that dream, that fairytale run that makes the FA Cup unlike any other. And speaking of stories worth telling, Ashford United from the Isthmian League South East is throwing down the gauntlet, led by none other than striker Gary Lockyer, whose last season’s exploits left jaws on the floor, top-scoring against household names and legends alike. You can almost feel the electric mix of hope, ambition, and raw talent ready to explode on the pitch. Ah, the magic of the Cup—it’s alive and kicking, kicked off by those determined to surprise us all yet again. LEARN MORE

The FA Cup’s first qualifying round takes place this weekend as teams from Level 7 of the English football pyramid enter the competition.

The likes of Lancaster City, Real Bedford, Havant & Waterlooville and Cray Valley Paper Mills are getting set to make their bow in this year’s edition of the tournament, hoping that they are able to carve out a little bit of history and be one of this year’s fairytale stories.

Isthmian League South East side Ashford United will also be playing this weekend which means striker Gary Lockyer will get the chance to build on a remarkable goalscoring record in last year’s competition.

Gary Lockyer on his FA Cup top scorer award

That’s because the 32-year-old telecoms worker finished as last season’s top scorer in the competition, with his ten strikes seeing off the likes of Erling Haaland, Mo Salah or Eberechi Eze, who netted Crystal Palace’s winner in the final at Wembley.

“It’s something that’s going to stay with me forever,” Lockyer tells FourFourTwo. “The award can be passed down to my children. My name will forever be written in the annals of the world’s greatest cup competition, and that makes me crazy proud.

“Growing up, you watch the FA Cup and dream of playing in it some day, so to win an award like this is just incredible.”

Lockyer, who became Ashford United’s all-time top scorer on Monday when he netted against Margate, netted 36 goals in all competitions last season, with his side getting knocked out in the third qualifying round of the competition.

“We non-league strikers get a head start on the competition, but it also comes with risk of being knocked out much sooner,” he adds. “Our aim was just to get as far as we could, as that obviously helps the club out financially and builds up the town and makes fans happy.

“But it was never a real ambition to win the Golden Ball – it was the cherry on top.

“For a lot of people, the most magical aspect of the FA Cup is the lower-league teams and players that leave their mark. A player like me winning the top-scorer prize is an extension of that, which makes me really happy.

“Having my name mentioned with the likes of Erling Haaland and Mo Salah, neither of whom could outscore me, was something really special. I think it shows that football can still surprise you, and that’s why people love the FA Cup.”