Non-League Day: Raya’s rise from Southport to the Champions League
Based in Merseyside (although the locals prefer to say Lancashire), Southport is surrounded by clubs that are higher up in the football pyramid, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Everton, Burnley, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers all within an hour’s drive.
So it might seem an unlikely stop on David's route to European glory, but as recent National League North results have proven, with “a couple of decent centre-halves” coming in on loan and keeping four clean sheets, “it shows what a difference you can make at this level if you bring one or two players in that are just that little bit better from a higher level.