JAMIE VARDY: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Summary

The Rest Is Football – Jamie Vardy: Exclusive Interview

Podcast: The Rest Is Football
Host: Gary Lineker
Guest: Jamie Vardy
Release Date: May 15, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth and candid interview with Jamie Vardy, Leicester City legend and one of English football's most remarkable late bloomers. Gary Lineker guides Vardy through his extraordinary career, from non-league beginnings and factory shifts to winning the Premier League, representing England, and life as a footballer in Italy. The conversation is full of dressing room stories, emotional honesty, and Vardy's trademark wit, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the journey of an unlikely football icon.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Life, Setbacks, and Non-League Beginnings

[01:01–08:44]

• Vardy describes how growing up he was “football obsessed,” spending every spare moment with a ball, even getting into trouble with neighbours for his relentless backyard matches.
• He recalls being released by Sheffield Wednesday’s academy due to his height ("I was 150 centimeters at 15/16" – [07:55]) and experiencing a later-than-average growth spurt.
• Gary and Jamie discuss the importance placed on size in English football and its shortcomings, referencing Messi and Maradona as counterexamples ([08:26]).

Life Working in a Factory

[01:01, 14:30–20:23]

• Vardy spent "three, four years" working in a factory, lifting heavy molds, which took a toll on his body.

  "Go to work every day, you're literally lifting these big massive moulds into ovens above your head. It was really playing havoc with my back." – Jamie Vardy [19:15]

• His main struggle was rediscovering enjoyment in football after academy rejection, noting that there is little support for young players who are released ([20:23]).

Legal Troubles and Turning Points

[22:00–24:07]

• Vardy honestly recounts his curfew and wearing an ankle tag after defending a friend in a fight, navigating football games around legal restrictions.
• He is frank about his fiery side and the lessons learned, stating,

  "Looking back, would I have done anything different? No, not at all. Can't have one of your friends..." [23:16]

Rise through Non-League: Halifax & Fleetwood

[24:07–27:25]

• He discusses balancing work and semi-pro football and taking a major risk to go full-time at Fleetwood:

  "I can live off £250 a week... I'm packing work in, I’ll give football a solid go for one year. If it don’t work, I'll go back." – Jamie Vardy [24:48]

• Highlights the impact of daily training at Fleetwood, comparing it to traditional semi-pro twice-weekly schedules.

Leicester City: The Early Challenge

[27:33–30:40]

• First non-league £1 million player; faced skepticism regarding his transfer fee.
• Early struggles in the Championship, nearly asking to return to Fleetwood but was convinced to stay by manager Nigel Pearson.
• Credits Pearson:

  “The main thing is he fully understood the human side and the mental... and physical strain it had on players.” [31:23]

The Great Escape & Call-up for England

[35:45–38:44]

• Recalls Leicester’s seven wins in nine matches to avoid relegation and his England call-up ("I thought someone was taking the piss" – [36:29]).
• On scoring for England:

  "To then be able to go and do it is the pinnacle of the career." [37:48]

The Premier League Miracle Season

[39:05–57:32]

Momentum and Belief

• The winning streak at the end of the prior season gave Leicester critical momentum and belief.
• On Ranieri:

  "He virtually turned round and said he didn’t want to change anything." – Jamie Vardy [40:32]

• The team’s mentality was game-by-game, always setting new goals ([44:02]).

Kante and Mahrez Join

• Both signed on personal character as much as talent ([41:28]).
• On Kante:

  "It was literally like having an extra man. You'd lose the ball and you'd just turn around – Kante'll get it." [42:24]

The Record-Breaking Run

• Broke Van Nistelrooy's record for scoring in consecutive Premier League matches.

  "If you start letting things like that creep in... you're not taking the time or your instincts telling you to do something else because you’ve got this all coming into your mind. So I didn’t pay any attention to it at all." – Jamie Vardy [46:43]

• Shared banter about Van Nistelrooy’s tweets and later meeting him as a manager ([47:02]).

Iconic Goal vs Liverpool

• Reminisced over his famous half-volley goal ("top bins") at King Power Stadium ([49:14]).

Title-Clinching Night

• Leicester title decided by Chelsea’s draw against Spurs; house party chaos and emotional aftermath:

  "People just sat up against the wall... having it sink in for them in completely different ways." – Jamie Vardy [56:27]

• Behind-the-scenes anecdotes during the title party, including Martin Wasilewski slapping Vardy’s fresh tattoo and police shutting down his street for celebrations ([53:15–55:24]).
• On what it meant:

  "I’d probably say it's still not been fully sunk in, like the magnitude of what you achieved." – Jamie Vardy [55:24]

The Togetherness of That Leicester Side

• Emphasized camaraderie:

  "The main thing I'll always say with that group of lads is the togetherness we had." – Jamie Vardy [58:14]

Loyalty Over Money: Declining Arsenal

[58:52–60:07]

• Turned down Arsenal, reflecting deeply during England duty:

  "On paper, yeah, they were a way bigger club... Just said, no, yeah, it's not happening in the end." [59:46]

FA Cup Triumph

[60:07–61:19]

• Memories of winning the club's first-ever FA Cup and playing with Youri Tielemans:

  "This guy's good. This guy's very good... His intelligence... movements or passes was unbelievable." – Jamie Vardy [60:37]

England Career and Retirement

[61:20–62:17]

• Proud of 26 caps and 7 goals, no regrets about stepping away for longevity:

  "It's prolonged my club career so I can't fault the decision that I made. It was definitely the right one." [62:07]

Storybook End at Leicester & Move to Italy

[62:17–64:49]

• Wanted his 500th appearance and 200th goal to be the last at King Power, coordinated with the club.
• Moved to Italy later in his career for family reasons and a love of the country:

  "I always holiday there every year. It's an easy decision like that." [64:29]

• Adapting to Serie A, both personally and professionally; kids learning Italian faster than dad ([65:43]).

Future, Family, and Perspective

[66:14–68:36]

• Isn’t planning for retirement; listens to his body:

  "I don't think about it. These [points to legs], they'll tell me when they're done." [66:32]

• Not interested in management or in over-planning, keeping focus on the present ([67:21]).
• Shares joy in watching his son enjoy football, insists he’s not pushy as a parent ([68:55]).

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On England rejection at youth level:
  “That was a bit of a killer, knowing you’ve been released because of your size... and then a month later, shot up to what I am now.” – Jamie Vardy [08:10]

• On Not Caring About Public Perception:
  “If you see most of my interviews, they’re really monotone. Probably the same answer every time, just slightly worded different.” – Jamie Vardy [04:44]

• On Life After the Title:
  “It’s still not fully sunk in, like, the magnitude of what you achieved... the season finishes... then the Euros, then I get my time with family, then shit, the new season starts...” – Jamie Vardy [55:24]

• On the Leicester Party:
  “People are doing somersaults on my settee... don’t know how the kids stayed asleep... the road was completely shut off... but it was all worth it.” – Jamie Vardy [54:27–55:24]

• On Legacy:
  “Winning the league, winning the FA Cup, being in the Champions League quarter finals... no one can take it away from me. I’m just like, I’ve done it. It’s mine.” – Jamie Vardy [38:59]

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Timestamps: Important Segments

• [01:01] – Early adversity and factory work
• [05:38] – Self-image, “probably twat,” and being a shithouse
• [14:30] – Obsession with football as a child
• [19:36] – Factory job hardships and camaraderie
• [22:00] – Tag incident and legal curfew
• [24:07] – Halifax, Fleetwood and quitting work for football
• [27:51] – Non-league to pro: the biggest jump
• [31:12] – Nigel Pearson’s human touch
• [36:14] – Great Escape and England call-up
• [39:05] – The birth of Leicester’s title miracle
• [41:28] – Character in recruitment: why Kante and Mahrez fit
• [44:49] – Belief after Man City away win
• [46:13] – Breaking Van Nistelrooy’s record
• [49:14] – Chasing a Liverpool “top bins” screamer
• [53:15] – Title night party chaos
• [58:52] – Turning down Arsenal
• [60:23] – Tielemans’ FA Cup winner
• [62:17–63:23] – Planning the perfect Leicester finale
• [64:22] – Life and football in Italy
• [66:32] – On retirement: “These [legs] will tell me when I’m done”
• [68:50] – His son’s football obsession

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Tone & Style

Throughout, Jamie Vardy is forthright, often self-deprecating, and refreshingly grounded. Gary Lineker matches his blend of humor and reverence for Vardy's story, keeping the mood light but also drawing out emotional undercurrents—whether about dressing room pranks, private hardships, or the surreal highs of football glory.

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Conclusion

A richly revealing conversation, this episode traces Jamie Vardy’s journey from factory floors to the pinnacle of English football, offering lessons in resilience, loyalty, and defying the odds. It’s a must-listen for anyone curious about the making of a sporting miracle—and what it feels like to live it from the inside.

"If you doubt me, OK. That’s the main thing – you doubt me...fine. Never doubted myself. Nothing’s ever normal with me." – Jamie Vardy [07:01, 07:19]

Transcript

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[Gary Nichol]

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Maybe there's no catch.

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[Gary Nichol]

I think it's laminate.

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[Jamie Vardy]

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[Gary Nichol]

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[Gary Nichol]

How was it when you were just on that factory floor and had you almost given up at that point or not?

[Jamie Vardy]

I was there three, four years. It was tough. It really was. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad that was part of the journey. Never regretted anything about that.

[Gary Nichol]

How long into it was it when you not thought you could win the league but started to think stupid team

[Jamie Vardy]

there the man city away game. That's when I actually thought something could happen here.

[Gary Nichol]

Same, same, same one, that one. And everyone was around your gaff.

[Jamie Vardy]

I had to sit on the FL because Vas. Marcin Vasileski kind of fucking slapping me on my tattoo.

[Gary Nichol]

This is the side of the title winning that everyone needs to know.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, it's literally how it was winning the league, winning the FA cup, being in the Champions League, quarter finals, stuff like that. No one can take it away from me. I'm just like, I've done it. It's mine.

[Sponsor Announcer (Fuse Energy)]

This episode is powered by Fuse energy. Before we kick off, a quick pre match warm up from Fuse. Which Premier League team scored the most goals via substitutes in 2425 season?

[Jamie Vardy]

I'll just go with the top one. Brighton.

[Sponsor Announcer (Fuse Energy)]

Oh, Bournemouth.

[Gary Nichol]

I can tell you now that Alan is wrong. Micah is wrong. The correct answer is Fulham.

[Sponsor Announcer (Fuse Energy)]

The closest to getting the Number of goals that Fulham scored from the bench wins 14. Micah, I'll go 17. Well, Alan, 14. You were absolutely just three away because

[Gary Nichol]

Micah with 17 is spot on. Spot on 17.

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[Gary Nichol]

Hello, and welcome to the Rest is football. I'm joined today by someone very special. Definitely someone very special in our household. He's. How do we describe him? A Leicester legend, one of our heroes, Jamie Vardy. Jamie, lovely to speak to you.

[Jamie Vardy]

You too.

[Gary Nichol]

You're doing a documentary for Netflix. I've just come down from the northeast and I watched it on the train and I genuinely enjoyed it. Have you seen it yet? No, it's not out until, I think, early May. You've not seen it?

[Jamie Vardy]

No.

[Gary Nichol]

So I got a view before you.

[Jamie Vardy]

You. I think quite a few have viewed it already. Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

Are you scared to watch it?

[Jamie Vardy]

I wouldn't say it's scared. I'm one of them. I'd rather, once it's out, just watch it and see if I remember stuff that I've actually said in it.

[Gary Nichol]

You didn't say that much. You're not. You're not too talkative, generally, as a person, I don't think.

[Jamie Vardy]

No.

[Gary Nichol]

But you kind of short and sharp. Bit like the way we play.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. It's just. I don't think I ever get used to that side of things.

[Gary Nichol]

You've always been uncomfortable around the media side of it. And there's a bit in the early days when you're doing interviews because you didn't have the media training.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

That so many players obviously get. Because you came pretty much late to professional football. Do you think that's perhaps why you look. And there was lots of times where you used to just go, I don't like doing it.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. I can't be asked. We're being here at all. But I think that nowadays it's more. You have to be so careful with actually what you're saying.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Because when you. When you're doing an interview, for instance, after you've just play the game or whatever, you're emotional. Emotional body's still pumping. You're not really thinking before you speak sometimes. And I think it can get you in a lot of trouble nowadays. So I think if you see most of my interviews, they're really the Monotone. Probably the same answer every time, just slightly worded different.

[Gary Nichol]

Well, I hope you can do a bit better for us.

[Jamie Vardy]

I'm. I'm all right now. I think I'm at the stage right the, the.

[Gary Nichol]

There was a lovely bit right at the start. They go to you, you know, what do you think people. If in one word what would people say about you? And then you go for a little bit and then they go and cut around the various talking heads that are in it. You know, people like Wes Morgan, et cetera and they all give a different word and it comes back to you and you went probably twat. You don't honestly think that, do you?

[Jamie Vardy]

I think.

[Gary Nichol]

I think they might have said that at some point in your career and every team you probably played against at some. I put the question to one or two of my boys and it was mixture of hero, legend, shithouse, but with. In brackets. But our shithouse. Cuz they're all Leicester fans.

[Jamie Vardy]

I think that's the thing. I think with Leicester fans it would be very different. Opposition fans.

[Gary Nichol]

No, I. I think you're wrong there now, Jamie. I think there would have been a stage of your career but I think now there's a genuine love for you from all football fans. I think obviously they know you wind up crowds sometimes with your celebrations, etc. I think they like it.

[Jamie Vardy]

The thing is with that as well, it's all. It's not thought of.

[Gary Nichol]

You never thought before a game, I know what I'm going to do.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, it's all just off the cuff in that moment. Whether I've been abused a bit off the fans or not normally depends on how the celebration goes.

[Gary Nichol]

But the Eagles. Yeah, the one in palace.

[Jamie Vardy]

Anyway. I was getting abused by the palace fans.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Where did you suddenly get that?

[Jamie Vardy]

I don't know. I just started running off and see a few of the fans out the corner, your eyes stood up, giving you the middle finger as far. Right, here we go.

[Gary Nichol]

There's a sense throughout the documentary that you like to prove people wrong and I suppose that connects a little bit with the celebration.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. 100. Yeah, 100.

[Gary Nichol]

There's a.

[Jamie Vardy]

Listen, there's always. With whatever you do, there are always going to be doubters. Doesn't matter who you are, you're going to have your doubters. And I think with me it's just that's the main thing. Like you doubt me. Okay.

[Gary Nichol]

You never doubted yourself, not in terms of your ability, but.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, not on that side.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. But the only thing is you, you didn't really believe that you would be a professional in your lifetime because obviously you came late.

[Jamie Vardy]

It was them stages were. Were quite. Let's be honest, it's not the normal route.

[Gary Nichol]

No, no, it's not.

[Jamie Vardy]

The normal route is you're in the academy all the way through. You go 18s, reserves, then you get to the first team if you. If you're good enough. But that's just been me. Nothing's ever known. Why do you think you didn't go

[Gary Nichol]

down that normal route at school? You were, what, tiny or something? I mean, you're not.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, I was. I was really. I think I was 150 centimeters. I think I was at like 15, 16.

[Gary Nichol]

I was similar, actually. I was. I didn't go through puberty till I was about 17.

[Jamie Vardy]

And then got released.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

And then within a month shot up to basically what I am now, 1 180. So that was. That was a bit of a killer, knowing that you've been released because they've mentioned your size. And I was like, here we go.

[Gary Nichol]

Why do they do that in this country? So much obsession with size.

[Jamie Vardy]

Well, I think that was. That was the thing. It always is. Yeah, it's always been the. We want big, physical players. That's the. That's the English way. But it probably used to be that way. But football evolves, Always has done, always will.

[Gary Nichol]

I mean, the greatest. Two of the greatest players of all time. I mean, Messi and Maradona is 5 foot 4. He's tiny. So socky, but tiny. I want to talk to you. Actually, we'll talk a bit more about the career and everything later, but I presume from a very early age, it was always about scoring goals. You always had that.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 100. Always was. Always the striker, always wanted to be the striker. I even remember at Stocksbridge, new manager came in, Gary Marrow, and he was. He was away for. We had a friendly against Sheffield United, which at Stocksbridge they do every year. Your friendlies are basically a team from Chef Wednesday, a team from Chef United, all the local Bigotes. We played Chef United and for some reason the assistant manager put me at right back. I was like, yes, I played right back. And I think it was within five minutes. Brian Robson was the manager. Within five minutes he was. I think he was ready to kill me because I've gone in for this tackle on Jeff Horsefield at the time and I've just gone through everything.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, you always had that aggressive side.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. But from that moment, I think the assistant manager, they were like, no, he. He is a striker. We'll leave him.

[Gary Nichol]

Because you're a Wednesday fan, weren't you?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yes.

[Gary Nichol]

As a kid. And David Hurst was. Would he been your kind of hero? Grow.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, growing up.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. I played with David a couple with England a little bit. We overlapped a little bit.

[Jamie Vardy]

A little. He was very good at Chef Wednesday. Yeah. And like, even still now, I mean, I remember when I was like, young, young lad, the VHS's of like. Of like Sheffield Wednesday seasons 91, 93. And it was always his name popping up, scoring goals.

[Gary Nichol]

When did you know you were really good at scoring goals? And where do you think that came from? That knack of. Or that ability to make the right runs and be able to finish?

[Jamie Vardy]

If I'm honest, I couldn't put a finger on it.

[Gary Nichol]

No.

[Jamie Vardy]

It's just really true. Really couldn't. Yeah. It wasn't like I was having someone to watch with, like, who played, like, similar to how I did. It was more just natural and raw, if I'm honest. And then once, eventually I did get higher up, it's. You can't be raw all the time, so you have to. You have to make a few tuning issues to. To get it all right.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. What do you think is the secret to someone scoring goals consistently over a career like you've done?

[Jamie Vardy]

I'd probably say, one, you have to be a natural finisher.

[Gary Nichol]

Do you think you can train that? And you only. You need a calmness and a belief, don't you, as well?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, I think. I think training. It's difficult. You have. Listen, if you're a striker and you're scoring goals, you. You have. You have to be good at it, let's be honest. So it's more about. You know full well in that situation that you've got the belief that you're going to be scoring, but you have to be putting yourself in that position. You've got to be making the right runs if a cross is coming in. You've got to know exactly where you're going, the connection at any certain time with. With one of your shots. But a lot of that comes down to, like, your instincts as well.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Do you sometimes think to yourself, I mean, I do, I do as a striker and I think I've worked out how to score goals and it's exactly like you say, you got to know where to go, you got to go early and it doesn't always go to you, but when it does, you've got a really good chance of score. Do you ever think to Yourself. Why don't more players get that? Because I watch them and a lot of them don't, you know, a lot of strikers don't. Few and far between that really get it.

[Jamie Vardy]

I think everyone's just different. Everyone's different. They've all different abilities, different ways of how they see the game or a difference in what they think is best. Belinda, you can only fly for me as a striker, personally, I can only believe in what I think is right. And sometimes it might not be for that certain situation. It might be. Might be the wrong choice, but I've believed it's right. So I'll still carry on because the next one might then come to where you've just gone.

[Gary Nichol]

Exactly.

[Jamie Vardy]

Like I always get told. It's. It's easier said than done because you can get infuriated. Always, always make the run. Always make it.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

You make it three, four times, the ball doesn't come. It's very easy when you're on that pitch to just say, I'm not doing that again.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. You get frustrated with not delivering it in the right place.

[Jamie Vardy]

And then that next one, when you don't make it, the ball's gone. You're like, oh, I'm in trouble.

[Gary Nichol]

It's the law of probability. Really? Yeah. I mean, it's interesting. I talked to you now and you said about the interviews. I really don't care anymore. That attitude is almost what you need to be a striker, isn't it? You can't be worried about missing. You can't be, like, down on yourself when you've missed a chance for too long.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, not all. Yeah, not all. It's like anything. You don't want to be worried about what the sports journalist is going to write in the paper the next day. Oh, you've gone on. Listen, I. I know myself. If I've had a good or a bad game, I'll beat yourself up at all. You don't need to tell me, but I don't need to read it. So I'm very much a. When I'm on the pitch, it's football. When I'm off the pitch, leave me alone. I. I don't care. Football's not on the mind. What's on my mind is the family.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

I'm going to go enjoy my time with my family, make sure I'm in a good head space, make sure they're all all right. And then when I go back to football, I've got a smile on my face again. I'm happy and I've always Been one of them where I believe if I'm happy and I'm enjoying myself, then that's when my best football is going to come.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

So that's, that's my cycle.

[Gary Nichol]

Talking about your cycle. The cycle of your life. And we'll go back now to your career in the documentary. It sort of starts with your non league career and your life in working at that time in a factory, etc. What about your childhood? What was that like? There's obviously the really moving story moving. But I didn't know about it about you, you know, your father and the whole thing about the bloody awfulness of the Daily Mail. I think it was, wasn't it? It wants to break a story. I didn't realize that I'd forgotten about that during the victory season. So what was actually growing up, what your parents life and what you know, and playing football and that's, that's what it was like.

[Jamie Vardy]

Everything at home was fine, but I was just football obsessed. Yeah. Like any kid that wants to play football, you. You do it as much as possible. Whenever you've got a spare minute, you. I get the ball out. Get the ball out. I mean, I don't. If I mentioned it in the, in the documentary and it's nothing to be proud of, but I was that obsessed with football. Where I used to live. The neighbor, she was horrible. No, she really was. And I've kicked, I've kicked the ball over the wall, gone around to get it and Cheese put a knife through it. Oh. Because she said I was played football in the backyard too much and like I said, not, not proud of it. But she just had her single glaze windows took out and we're getting double glazed windows put in. So I threw a stone for it.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

As you do.

[Gary Nichol]

You didn't miss the target.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, it was literally just that if, if I didn't have a football. Yeah. I went off, I needed to be playing.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. And you presumably played the school team. Sunday teams, all this.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, School Sundays, obviously. Signing for an academy.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

That takes the school football away, which you've got it about, but understand because they don't want you getting injured, they want you available for, for the Sheffield Wednesday Academy. Still wanted to play football obviously with school, but it's just, that's just one of them things.

[Gary Nichol]

How big a blow was it when you got released or they didn't take you on at shepherd win?

[Jamie Vardy]

No, it was, it was massive. Yeah, massive. That's the thing of the world at the time. Yeah. You. You go in you're training every week. Every week, Every week. And you get to a certain age, you think, been doing football every week now. Constantly.

[Gary Nichol]

This.

[Jamie Vardy]

This is going to be me. So I didn't, if I'm honest, I didn't really pay much attention to school.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Which that is a regret because I think my career could have gone a completely different way. Yeah. Might not have happened. So to have then, if it had gone that way, not had football, not had any grades, you're in a sticky situation. But luckily football worked out.

[Gary Nichol]

But it looked like you were going to have to do something else. You work in a factory. Yeah. And life was very different to how it is now. Presumably there's a lovely bit in it with you and your mates and you called yourselves in betweeners for obvious reasons, I have to say. Brilliant, aren't it? They're a good bunch of lads. Are they?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

You're still in touch, presumably, because.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. All the time.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, all the time.

[Jamie Vardy]

Every day. We've got a little. Little WhatsApp group between us all. Yeah. But it's the good thing. Like with them, we all, to each other, we just say what we think. There's no two faceness with anything. No beating around the bush. If I've played within 10 minutes of that final whistle, there'll be messages in that group telling me I've played shit. Like, we. We don't care. We're just all honest with each other. And like you're saying, then you're laughing. They're. They're a great, great set of lads. Yeah. Crazy sometimes, but it's. It's needed between us all.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Seems like you had a few good nights out, etc.

[Jamie Vardy]

There's been a few.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. And you got yourself. Got yourself into a bit of trouble.

[Jamie Vardy]

Your.

[Gary Nichol]

Your story is remarkably similar in many ways to Ian. Right. I know you're aware of that, but, you know, Ian was rejected at a young age and then got into a little bit of trouble, but eventually found his way in and made an incredible career for himself. So similar in many, in many ways. How was it when you were just in on that factory floor and did you. And thinking, did you. Had you almost given up at that point or not because you were still playing? You still.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

The reasonable level.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. The plain side of it was the gap from literally being released to when I eventually did say the factory's going like it was. It was tough.

[Gary Nichol]

How long did you work?

[Jamie Vardy]

I was there four, three, four years.

[Gary Nichol]

As long as that?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, but it was tough. It really was like, go to work every day you're literally lifting these big massive molds up into ovens above your head. And it was really playing like havoc with my back and stuff. And then having to go straight from there, literally straight to a service station just to get a bit of food inside me for training or a game.

[Gary Nichol]

Whereas Lucky lot makes you realizing what the real world's about.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, yeah. 100. Like I'm. Don't get wrong. I'm glad.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Glad that like, that was part of the journey. Never, never regretted anything about that. Used to have a great time at work. Like a lot of the lads who I played on a Sunday with, they also worked at the same factory. So it was good camaraderie, just enjoying ourselves, getting his jobs done and off we go. But it was, it was tough. Yeah, it was really tough. But that main part of it for me after being released was just about getting back to enjoying football because it, it really is like kicking you when you're down, when, when you get thrown, like, it's horrible. But no one tells you how to deal with that. No, that's the bit you have to

[Gary Nichol]

do yourself and, and that's the story for the vast majority, particularly of youngsters, isn't it? Young players, because they all have the dream and we know the tiny percentage that actually get to the top and. And then they have to almost deal with failure, what they perceive as failure at an early stage of life. Do you think football does enough for. And no, in those circumstances?

[Jamie Vardy]

Probably not. Yeah, probably not. I mean it could be different now. It could be.

[Gary Nichol]

I'm.

[Jamie Vardy]

I'm not too sure. But you see it, you see it quite a lot. Like even in the, like, reserve teams now, the under 23 league, for instance, a lot of clubs just keep players on because you can play over the age. It's fine just to make sure that you've got a full squad.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Even though that club deep down knows they're not going to make it in the first team, they're not that. They just store them, hoard them. And the only way, once you've been released, like, yeah, you might get a contract a few leagues down to see if you can do that level. That might not work and then you're down again. But I mean, I've always said if you've got players in your academy that are like 17, 18, I'd get as many affiliations with your local non league teams. Go right, you're taking these two players this year, you're taking these two go in a proper man's game where they're playing to pay a mortgage. Go and see if you can deal with it because I promise you now, if anyone can deal with that, they've got a really good chance.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, it's a good point. You would still try and you're still playing and training and then you got into a bit of trouble and you had the. The tag on how long for? Six months.

[Jamie Vardy]

Six months? Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

And how did that work? Because you. You there were at certain hours you weren't allowed out, weren't you?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, I had to.

[Gary Nichol]

Curfews and stuff.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. I had to be in the house for 6pm and couldn't leave before 6am

[Gary Nichol]

no good for midweek matches.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, I mean, to be fair, at the start I was all right on some midweek matches because we gave the judge the fixture list because I was obviously getting paid for it and it was like helping me earn a living. The judge, like, right, that's fine, let me see the fixture list. So we gave him the full one. He said, right, we'll just do half now, then when the next half come, send them in and we'll sort that. So for the first half of the season, it was. It was all right. If there was a midweek game, they just extended my. My curfew and then for the second half of the season they just put a straight note across it and I was off. So night games were out the question. Away games were. Play an hour, jump the fence, get in the car.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, it was that. You got in a fight, didn't you? That was.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. Defending a friend.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. You've got a fiery side too. We've seen that in, in your career. But perhaps in some ways that also helps you with the. With your attitude, the way you play, things like that. Did you learn from that?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, 100. Yeah, I learned from it. Looking back, would I have done anything different? No, not at all. I'll happily say that. Can't have one of your friends. We tried, we tried to diffuse that situation.

[Gary Nichol]

What happened?

[Jamie Vardy]

So we were in a club and two lads started taking the piss out of my friend just for having an earing aid in. So to defuse the situation, they'd been thrown out. We made sure we waited for like an hour, hour and 20 minutes, then we left and they were still waiting

[Gary Nichol]

outside and it kicked off.

[Jamie Vardy]

So it was obviously going to kick off.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, you started to make a little progress, didn't you? You got. You went to Halifax. That was a step up. Still non league, wasn't it, at that Time. There was a time Halifax were in there.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

In the leagues. But how was that experience?

[Jamie Vardy]

No, it was good. It was. It was really good. Still. Still working as well, which made it tough. But we had little car school that were all like my way. So there was. There was four of us. Every training session in the cars together, every match in the cars together, which. Which made it a lot easier. Because it's in non league, it's never easy to.

[Gary Nichol]

We've been paid at this point for playing a little bit.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yes.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. I think I moved to Halifax on 250 pound a week, which was a lot more than I was getting. So I was. I was happy. But then.

[Gary Nichol]

And a lot less than you were about to get.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. But it got to the. To the end of the season and like I was saying, with a job, my back was. Was starting to give me a bit of. A bit of jip. So I was like. I was like, right. Said to me agent, I was like, I can live off 250 quid a week. I mean, I'm packing working. Well, I went, I'm packing working. I'm gonna give football a solid goal for one year. If it don't work, I'll go back. That's fine. And fortunately, I think it was about three days later I signed for Fleetwood.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. And that things really did start to change. Your agent's in the room, so we need. We need to be careful what we say. But how important has he been for you, particularly at that stage? He believed in you.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. Now he's. He knows. He's been big from out. Take the piss out of him all the time. That's just. That's just me. But he's been there from the beginning as well. It wasn't back then it wasn't known for non league players to have agents.

[Gary Nichol]

I was thinking that when I saw the dot, I was thinking, that's interesting.

[Jamie Vardy]

So I think it was. He knew. He somehow knew one of the. One of the lads at Halifax who said, basically told him that he needed to. To come and watch this lad. Really good. Thinks he'll go on to bigger things. Said he turned up to one game and that was. That was his mind made up. I think he got a lot of stick in the office for taking the gamble. But fortunately for him, it can go back and bite them now.

[Gary Nichol]

Paid off.

[Jamie Vardy]

He's paid off very well. I'll not tell you what. But he knows.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, of course you did. You started banging the goals at Fleetwood Town, didn't you? You really did you went up a

[Jamie Vardy]

level a little bit.

[Gary Nichol]

What was the. What was different? I mean you're still scoring goals before but this seemed to be. This, this was kind of the.

[Jamie Vardy]

So it went up another. So it went up into the National League now. So I'd slowly made my way up but I was, I was just doing everything that I'd. I'd done previously. I think the one thing that probably helped me a bit more was even though all the teams in. In not in the conference at the time were. Were classed as semi pro, Fleetwood was still full time as in everyday training. So that kind of got me used to obviously what the pro game's like. So that training every day and being able to work, work on things, that. That was a big boost I think.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Made a real difference.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. Massive. Because before it was train on a Tuesday, Wednesday you're on train on a Thursday night to play Saturday.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, I guess.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

And that's what it is. You. And then of course you got scouted by Leicester. I mean you've gone up the pyramid, haven't you? You've played in all sorts of different leagues and which one is the biggest jump Championship to the Premier League or not non league to professional?

[Jamie Vardy]

At the time, non league to professional was massive because let's be honest, when I was at non league I was like I said I was going to service station and getting me dinner for a game. You're not getting anything healthy at a service station. It's. It's all fast food but you can get away with it. When you then move up, you need to that side of things you really need to start paying attention to. Which I think when I first went up was. Was one of the difficult bits because I was still thinking I could do what I've done previously to just carry it on.

[Gary Nichol]

You also, I mean you don't try and hide it in the documentary. You know, you go on a binge you for a day or two and you would. I presume that had to change a little bit as well.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, no it did but that, that's all I'd ever done up until that point. Yeah. Didn't know any day it not affected how my football was. So it was like I just carry on, it'll be fine. But now you, you realize that you, you need to curb things. You need to be more professional in yourself. Don't get wrong. There's no harm in having a drink every now and then. It's not, not going to hurt you. It's just don't take it to the, to the extremes.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. The extremes can end badly on occasions. First ever non league, 1 million pound player and there was, there was a few question marks by a lot of people going, how much Leicester playing for him? But I think they probably changed the tune now.

[Jamie Vardy]

Probably now. Yeah. I don't think they did at the start. Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

It wasn't, it wasn't an easy beginning, was it?

[Jamie Vardy]

No. And I think like I was saying then with things that you have to change, that was probably part of it. Yeah. So it was more that first season for me, in my eyes didn't go as I'd planned. I thought it was just going to be. I've done it well, I've done this previous. This previous. So it'll just now go into this. But you don't realize how big a difference like the physicality is, the pace of the game, what stamina you need, fitness wise and things like that. So I had to work hard. I mean I remember saying to, to Nigel Pearson at the time and Steve Walsh and Craig Shakespeare, God, God bless him. Because I was struggling but I knew I'd done it at Fleetwood. I was like, I was like, look, it's, it's not working. Just. I'll go back on loan to Fleetwood. I know it works there. Yeah, that's, that's how I had it thought in me. And they were all like, no, it's not happening. We brought you here because we believe in you. We know that you can, you can go on to bigger and better things. So it's not happening. So that summer was all about making sure I was fit as I could be when we went back, as fresh as I could be.

[Gary Nichol]

And was that the time you started to really live a footballer's life rather than perhaps a young man's life?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, probably.

[Gary Nichol]

There's a, there's a nice bit in it where Becky Wife obviously talks about the fact that you had, she had to sit you down and say, come on.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, it's the best thing that happened. Yeah. Really is. I, I needed it. So I'll be honest, back then I could easily just go off the rails.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

It was not an issue or then that stability and stuff is, is what I needed. Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

Nigel Pearson was obviously a former Sheffield Wednesday player, wasn't he? Nigel lifted a trophy, didn't he? Of course. How important was. Was. Was Nigel?

[Jamie Vardy]

No, he's massive for you.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. And for Leicester obviously.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, he was, he was massive. The main thing I always got from him is, listen, he was a great manager, great coach, but the main thing is he, he fully understood the human side and the mental, like the mental side and the physical and mental strain it had on players. He, he had that down to a T and he, he wasn't stupid with it. He literally, he trained, he'd go, right, all of you, tomorrow you're off, go spend with your family, go spend with your friends. You need work. I don't think a lot of managers get that nowadays.

[Gary Nichol]

No, I don't think they probably do. How hard was it for you when the whole thing happened? I mean, you had the miracle escape, which I'm going to talk about in a little bit of time. But Nigel Pearson losing his job and obviously it wasn't for football reasons, it's because something went on, on tour with his lad, et cetera. But that must have been a devastating blow for someone who'd shown you so much support.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, it was. I remember exactly where I was when it come through as well. I was literally just on holiday. I just played for, for England at the end of the season, so went on vacation. It literally popped up on my phone saying that Nigel, being psyched and not what I remember said to Becky. I was like this and she was like, I was like, not got a clue what's happened yet because we like, we weren't informed as players before or anything like that. So the first time I saw it was on, on the Sky Sports app. So it's like, well, don't know what you're going back into.

[Gary Nichol]

Well, we do know what you're back into in the end.

[Jamie Vardy]

Well, we do.

[Gary Nichol]

Eventually we'll come to that. Let's just take a break first.

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[Gary Nichol]

Welcome back to the rest is football with me, Gary Nichol and Jamie Vardy. Leicester here and we've just come on to the Leicester part of your career before we get to the season of all seasons. The season before was pretty extraordinary. First one into the Premier League and well, they were so far adrift at the bottom of the league that it looked absolute certainty for Leicester to go down. And then I think won seven of the last nine games or something.

[Jamie Vardy]

Won seven, drew one last one and

[Gary Nichol]

you started to really perform. I mean, you had a good season. You got called up for England, didn't you?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. Did it?

[Gary Nichol]

How did, how did that come about? Did you get a phone call from.

[Jamie Vardy]

I got a text message. I thought someone was taking the piss.

[Gary Nichol]

From who or did they say they were?

[Jamie Vardy]

It was the lady, she was called Michelle. Yeah, I mean she, she was always the one that sent out the messages for a few, being in her squads or anything.

[Gary Nichol]

Was she the type that took the piss?

[Jamie Vardy]

No, no, but like. Because I'd obviously had.

[Gary Nichol]

You couldn't.

[Jamie Vardy]

Never had it. I wouldn't have. I weren't expecting anything like that. So I remember I messaged, I messaged the physio at Leicester, Dave Rennie. I was like, is this true or is someone taking a piss out of here? Because I was, I was just, I was out shopping and he messaged back saying, no, they've, they've Been on the phone.

[Gary Nichol]

It's.

[Jamie Vardy]

It's true. I'm like, I'm supposed to be going on holiday in two weeks.

[Gary Nichol]

That is not actually probably the response of many players when they. England.

[Jamie Vardy]

It's not. Oh, but I was like, do you know when everything's already been planned and you're like, I've got to cancel all this. I've got to do that.

[Gary Nichol]

I'm like, can't be bothered anyway.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, it's. It was what it was and things got moved and. Yeah, no, it was. It was unbelievable.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

To obviously get the call up and to. To come on against Ireland. What a. What a feeling.

[Gary Nichol]

It is special. Hard to describe, isn't it?

[Jamie Vardy]

It is. Really is.

[Gary Nichol]

How would you try to describe it?

[Jamie Vardy]

I think. I think the only way you could describe it is as. As a footballer, even though I wasn't expecting it. You want to. You all. You all want to, no matter where you're from. So to then be able to go and do it is like the pinnacle of the career. You've managed to put in performances and been playing that world. It's. It's got you in. In your national team.

[Gary Nichol]

And then the first goal for England.

[Jamie Vardy]

Germany.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Nice little backhill. That's all you ever said. Bad time? Yeah, it was. It's. It's. It's a special moment, though, isn't it?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

And the other thing is one, of course now, because then when once you play for England for the rest of your life, wherever football club you play at or the rest of your football career, they go, jamie Vardy of Leicester and England, you get that. And England at the back of it. And it's. I always used to love that.

[Jamie Vardy]

Well, that's the thing. And I say it all the time as well, like stuff like that and, and winning the league, winning the FA cup, being in the Champions League, quarter finals, stuff like that, no one can take it away from me.

[Gary Nichol]

No.

[Jamie Vardy]

No.

[Gary Nichol]

Nor hopefully would they want to.

[Jamie Vardy]

I'm just like, I've done it. Yeah, it's mine.

[Gary Nichol]

Well, let's. Let's talk about that season because of what happened at the end of the season before and you won seven out of nine. Did that give you some kind of inkling that actually we might do quite well next season?

[Jamie Vardy]

No, I think all that did happen was that ending to the season was the momentum to start the season knowing, like, all of us knowing now, because the season before we went, we weren't getting battered off teams.

[Gary Nichol]

No, we were.

[Jamie Vardy]

We were always in games. We were only losing by, like, one. I think two was the most we lost by. We were always within the games. We were scoring goals so we knew we could compete.

[Gary Nichol]

At the start of that season, you had that extraordinary game which was. I think it was kind of the day you announced yourself in the process.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. The manual game.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

That was massive. You'd hope that from that you'd. You'd kick on. It just wasn't meant to be. But I think the last, like you said, the last nine games.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Is when everything just clicked together. Right. We can do it. Go on to the next game, find it. We can do it. And then that just literally boiled over into the season after.

[Gary Nichol]

Even though you had a different man in charge, Claudio Ranieri came in. And I don't think, as Leicester fans, I think I'd be, you know, not ashamed to say that. I thought at the time, I thought, claudio Blimey's been around for so long. He's not, you know, slightly odd appointment, but turned out to be bloody inspired appointment.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. I mean, to be fair to Claudio on that side, he came in, remember, we were all sat in the room. One of the first things he said was, like, he'd watched the games, obviously, towards the end of the. Of the season, and he virtually turned around to us and said that he didn't want to change anything. Yeah. Which I think helped. It helped him because he'd seen what we could do and it helped us because there wasn't going to be too much change and we'd already known as players that we can do it, so we just need to carry on. Obviously, no one expected what was going to be coming.

[Gary Nichol]

Who could?

[Jamie Vardy]

Nobody. But we knew we could compete.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

As a group, there wasn't many people that left that season. There wasn't too many that. That came in. But what they did bring in was. Was one thing that I always praise, Steve Walsh at the time. Always. What, a scout. Yeah. First and foremost, it was always, what are they like as a person?

[Gary Nichol]

So why did he sign you?

[Jamie Vardy]

I was all right. I was all right. I think I was a good fit that the group needed.

[Gary Nichol]

It was a good pick.

[Jamie Vardy]

I always think you have to have one.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

One who jokes around in a dressing room and can have a laugh. That's. That's just me.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

But I know as soon as them white lines come, it's. Yeah, Bank.

[Gary Nichol]

I was joking, obviously. But the signings of Mares and. And Kante.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

Obviously we didn't realize at the time how bloody good those players. Two superstars.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. I mean, the Kante one as well was. I think. I think Claudio at first was playing him that left wing.

[Gary Nichol]

Well, he could probably still play there and midfield.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, he probably could. But then he went until that obviously was. Changed his position. How good was he? Jesus, he's everywhere. I mean, honestly, it was literally like having an extra man. You'd lose the ball and you basically just turn around and go, I. All right, Canto get it.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

And within five seconds, he's got the ball back and we're. We're back attacking again.

[Gary Nichol]

Absolutely. I mean, it was extraordinary. And Mahrez as well. Could you. Could you see it in both those players? You know, in training when they first come, you used to get used to go for players with that quality. I mean, mars his first touch, you must have seen thought, my God. Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, he was. Mares was great. Unbelievable. And I always say infuriating at times.

[Gary Nichol]

Why?

[Jamie Vardy]

Because I'd want him to put a cross in and he'd want to say that he'd want to do about four

[Gary Nichol]

Wing is the most irritating thing in football.

[Jamie Vardy]

It was one of them, though. Like, we had Riyadh playing on the right, who was left footed.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

We had Mark Albrighton on the left. He was right. I know. Mark's crossing it.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

He. He wants to get that ball in the box. Riyadh. We were like, you'd make a run. You're like, oh, nice chopping again. Move back out, make another run. And he's chopping it. You're like, I know, just leave him. Just leave him.

[Gary Nichol]

You know, for that very reason when you time you run, you know, but the problem is, once they chop back, everyone's in position.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yep.

[Gary Nichol]

And you've got to kind of get out and try and do it again, but it never quite works.

[Jamie Vardy]

But the one thing with Riyadh was he'd chop a few times and then you'd think, like, he's not even going to cross it. He's now going to take another person on. He's going to whip one in the top corner. Fair play, mate. Well done. Leave him to it.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, it was an amazing mix that side. What part of the season, how long into it was it when you not thought you could win the league, but started to think, we're actually a good team here, really good team, we could do really well. Was there a moment. Was it just a gradual belief thing?

[Jamie Vardy]

I think it was, to start with, it was the gradual belief because we were literally just game by game. Let's go. Game by game. That's all we're focusing on. I remember at first we got the main thing Claudio said at the start of the season was like 40 points. 40 points. 40 points. We're like, yep. I think after the first half of the games have been played, I think we were on. On 39, he was probably still saying 40 points. And then we came. Came back after the first half of the games, had a meeting, and he was like, 40 points for. So me being me, I'm like, piece of piss. We're only going to get one more point. And he turned around, he's like, no, no, he's like 40 points from now.

[Gary Nichol]

40 points.

[Jamie Vardy]

Goal posts have just been moved. But again, even him saying that it was still right, that's the next game. That's all we care about. All we care about. But adding on to that, the Man City away game, that's when I actually thought something could happen here.

[Gary Nichol]

Same, same, same one, that one. Because going away to City, all the money they'd spent, they were at home. They were just behind Leicester in the league, weren't they? And then three, one victory, then Houthi

[Jamie Vardy]

pops up with two goals.

[Gary Nichol]

I think all of us. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Incredible. You had this great relationship. I mean, we mentioned some of the superstar players, but perhaps one that goes under the radar a little bit. But I doubt it for you because you seem to have a real relationship with Danny Drinkwater. A lot of the balls. He always looked for you, didn't he? Was that planned?

[Jamie Vardy]

No, it wasn't. Wasn't something like that was worked on constantly or anything like. I think. I think it all with that side of things just came down to if he's got the ball. Listen, I know how good he is at passing and stuff like that. If he's got what I'm always making a run for him.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

If it comes, it comes. If it doesn't, it doesn't. But I think from that side then he knew that if he gets the ball in his first touches forward, he's going to have an option 100. Because either I'm going or to spin behind him.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

And it just worked. Worked an absolute treat for us.

[Gary Nichol]

Let's talk about the. The record that you broke. Ruben Nisselroy's record. Ten successive games scoring in at what point? Some, you know, people started talking about it, didn't they? When? Probably eight games. Seven, eight, nine.

[Jamie Vardy]

Seven, seven, eight.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Did you start thinking about it or.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, not at all.

[Gary Nichol]

You know, I wouldn't believe that from most people. From You. I would.

[Jamie Vardy]

It's weird, like, but I'm. I'm one of them. Like, if you start letting things like that creep in.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

All of a sudden, then you're getting a shot. You're snatching at it. You're not taking the time or your instincts telling you to do something else because you've got this all coming into your mind. So I didn't. I didn't pay any attention to it at all. I mean, I even remember after the Manu game,

[Gary Nichol]

that's when you'd broken it.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. Yeah, he was. He tweeted me before. So he tweeted me after the Newcastle game and tweeted me before the Manu game. I didn't have a clue. I'm not one of them.

[Gary Nichol]

I presume you knew he was.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. Yeah, obviously. Obviously knew he was. But I'm not one of them to like go through social media and things. It's not me you're thinking, like, what's he on about? Yeah. So I just.

[Gary Nichol]

I think he was doing it to try and put you off when you equaled it. He didn't want you to break it. So he's trying to apply a bit of pressure.

[Jamie Vardy]

Possibly. Possibly. It was a bit awkward when he obviously became manager later down the line and walking through the training ground and he actually says it there and I'm like, all right. And he had to walk past it every day.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Didn't seem to help him on the managerial front, but there we go.

[Jamie Vardy]

It was just one of them things. I took it game by game.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. But when it happened, I mean, you must have. I mean you could see it was. Everyone was trying to give you wanted.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, I think I said everyone. A few expletives on the. On the way past.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. You can see them quite clearly in the film, actually.

[Jamie Vardy]

But again, that was more because during that game the. I said the manufans were. Were chanting rude. That's is their ex players. That's what happens. They want. They want him to keep it. There's no harm in it at all.

[Gary Nichol]

They never learn, these fans with you.

[Jamie Vardy]

No. No. You think they'd stop at some point.

[Gary Nichol]

You would have thought, what did it mean to you, though? It must have been special.

[Jamie Vardy]

Come on. Yeah, but you don't really get the time to let it all sink in. If I'm honest. Me, once I've finished, to get out, I just want to go on, chill, spend some time with wife, spend some time with the kids. Just try and completely forget about football because it is really A mentally head messing.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

You need to try and get this as calm as possible because you know you've got a game coming up in five days. So I've never been one of them. To let things sink in, to think about Ehrman, that I've got plenty of time when I'm. When I'm older to do stuff like that.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Up until then, I just carry on.

[Gary Nichol]

You'll have some nice stuff to look back on, particularly one goal. I remember at the King Power against Liverpool.

[Jamie Vardy]

Felt good, that one.

[Gary Nichol]

That was incredible. I was doing Match of the Day. It was midweek, wasn't it? Yeah, it was a night game. I was doing. I was in the office doing much of the day that night, and I nearly hit the ceiling. Going mad. Going mad. What a goal.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. I didn't have no other option, if I'm honest.

[Gary Nichol]

No, no, you took. Yeah, well, you did. You had an option to miss it.

[Jamie Vardy]

Well, yeah, but I mean, as in taking the. The actual shot. It's one of them. It's. Yeah, it's bounced. It's. Your striker sat up that nice. You think. Yeah, this is going.

[Gary Nichol]

Michael would describe that as a half folly. I don't know whether you followed our arguments. You probably have.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, it's.

[Gary Nichol]

I would say it's one of the.

[Jamie Vardy]

Knows it's. It's a half volley because it's bounced. But it's bounced that high and it's coming down. Someone will class it as a volley.

[Gary Nichol]

It's a volley. It's a volley. At least it's a good shot.

[Jamie Vardy]

We'll just say it's top bins and we'll leave it as that.

[Gary Nichol]

It was definitely top bins. It was fabulous. You're going down the home stretch and then obviously you got the. I love the bit. Love the bit. The documentary, which you've not yet seen. It's quite good, by the way. Honestly, it's really good. You come over exactly how you would expect. But there's a. There's a brilliant bit. You got two yellow cards, didn't you, against West Ham, which was devastating for us watching, and we just thought, oh, this is it. This is the turning point. It's going wrong here.

[Jamie Vardy]

We've got.

[Gary Nichol]

No. And then you. You exacerbate things by, I think, calling the referee.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. Expletives.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. But on the. In the actual documentary itself, he went, yeah. Called him a cunt. And I just. I just. I first burst out laughing out loud and I thought, well, that was worth getting an extra game banned for. As Long as we won the league.

[Jamie Vardy]

But, yeah, that was the thing. That was the thing. I remember. I actually remember having to go down to Wembley to answer to the. The panel for the reaction.

[Gary Nichol]

Oh, did they. Oh, talk me through that.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, well, they don't. They'd already give me the two games anyway. Yeah, I asked if I appealed the decision, would I get an extra one? And it came to our attention that even if I appealed, there wouldn't be an extra, extra game on top. So I was like, fuck this then feel it. Yeah. So I had to go down to Wembley, sit in front of him. I gave my reasonings and.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, how did you justify the use

[Jamie Vardy]

of just heat at the moment? Yeah, the ref got both decisions wrong, which I don't think helped the situation either. And, yeah, they proceeded to give me a 10,000 pound fine on top for

[Gary Nichol]

revealing winning the league itself. Of course, it was Tottenham against Chelsea and Chelsea needed a point. It was at Stamford Bridge. And I mean, I love Eden Hazard. I saw. I saw him actually a year or two ago and I. I just thanked him for that moment. He loved it and that was. That was special. And everyone was around your gaff.

[Jamie Vardy]

Well, everyone was at mine before I was. Yeah, it was a long day for me that I. I'd organized everyone to come. Yeah, a lot of the lads got

[Gary Nichol]

there, but you didn't tell the wife until quite late, she says in the film.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

What do you mean, everyone's coming?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, we organized it really late. That was the problem. We played Man United away and then I think the Tottenham Chelsea game was the day after, like the night after. So I literally just walked in the dressing room at Old Trafford and said, right, lads, everyone's at mine tomorrow. That was it. So that was it, getting organized. Forgetting that I had a seven hour tattoo session booked in for Monday.

[Gary Nichol]

Oh, what, seven hours? Okay. Just before you might have to win the league and all that.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, So I got. Got me tattoo out the way.

[Gary Nichol]

What tattoo? Was it a fox or.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, it's just the one for. For my little girl. Yeah. When she was born. Yeah, not little, though. It's.

[Gary Nichol]

I would hope not if it's seven hours.

[Jamie Vardy]

Luckily, Hoofy and Fucsi would drive into mine, so they come and pick me up, got to mine and the vast majority of the lads were already in there getting the beers out.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, what a night that must have been because he didn't start that well because

[Jamie Vardy]

it was a bit lively to start with. And then obviously the two goals going and it just. Yeah, the House was just dead silent.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. There's a shot of you, I think you just snatched on the floor like that, watching.

[Jamie Vardy]

Well, I had to sit on the floor.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Because Vas. Martin Vasileski kept slapping me on my tattoo. I just moved myself from anywhere near him. So I thought, if I'm sat on the floor, he's not going to be able to get down and give me a slap.

[Gary Nichol]

This is the side of the title winning that everyone needs to know.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. That's literally how it was. But the first thing that come to my mind was like, I'm like, all the lads have just come around with just. Basically just getting pissed. But we've got training tomorrow. I'm like.

[Gary Nichol]

And then. And then there's the turnaround.

[Jamie Vardy]

And then obviously gas chaos caused the first call. People are doing somersaults on myself. Don't know how the kids stayed asleep, if I'm honest. And then the second one went in and it just erupted. Yeah, fully erupted from that moment. It was definitely worth getting everyone around to mine.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, I'll bet. What a night.

[Jamie Vardy]

Especially for the day of training was normal. It was just.

[Gary Nichol]

Training got canceled.

[Jamie Vardy]

It was just.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, I would think so.

[Jamie Vardy]

Training got canceled. It was Claudio there at my noise. He was watching it at home with. With his coaching staff, which a few of the players did that as well. I remember Casper. Casper's at home with his family. Mark Albrighton was. Was at home with his family. As soon as the second going, literally, phone's going to like, we're on his way. I'm like. I'm like, casper, you're in Manchester. He's like, yeah, I'm coming.

[Gary Nichol]

All right, love it.

[Jamie Vardy]

No problem.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Went on all night.

[Jamie Vardy]

Went on all night. The road was completely shut off by

[Gary Nichol]

the police and there's fans all outside.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. But the only issue is it's the main road for all the lorries to get to the A1 and the police have just locked it home. Neighbors are going to be raging here. Lorries backed up down the road and thinking. But it was. It was all worth it. All worth it.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Can you describe your emotions? I mean, I was crying. I. I've said this many times. I was. I had all my boys around, three of which support Lester, and it was just the most joyous, amazing miracle.

[Jamie Vardy]

It's a miracle. Yeah. I think mine person was just excitement, if. If I'm honest, it was excitement, but I'd probably say I've. It's still not been fully sunk in,

[Gary Nichol]

like, the magnitude of what you achieved

[Jamie Vardy]

just because the season finishes. Then that year it was the Euros. Then I get my time with my family where I just want to completely forget about football. Shit. The new season starting, like, you've. You've not really got time to. To think of that. But one. One thing I do remember is the lads have all gone from being hyper energetic to these people just quietly walking around my garden. People just sat up against the wall. I'm like, you know, like, what's happened? So they're having it sink in for them in completely different ways.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

And everyone was just all over the place.

[Gary Nichol]

I think it's one of the occasions in my lifetime where I've. The whole world has got behind. I've seen it in individual sports. I follow golf. So with Tiger woods and even Rory McElroy last year when he won. Won the Masters. But with a team which is so tribal, I think pretty much everybody, with the exception, probably spurs fans at that point were cheering on Leicester to the levels of which, you know, people were learning how to say Leicester properly. Even in America, it's not on Leicester. They even taught that. That. But it was so special. I mean, it really was. And I understand why you say. Still can't quite grasp the magnitude, because it wasn't, I think, the biggest sporting team miracle of all time in any sport. I genuinely think that.

[Jamie Vardy]

I'd probably agree with that.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Yeah. To be part of that must have been. And. And probably the most significant part. So.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, it was. It was unbelievable. And the thing is, I think the other side of it was that actually happening gave everyone else the belief that it could possibly happen because it had never been done like that before. Now all of a sudden everyone's thinking, whoa. So it can happen. We just need to get everything right, because once every little piece is right, that's when everything clicks and it's all.

[Gary Nichol]

And that's a. There's a lovely clip in your house party. I don't know who's pulling them, but. Where's Morgan? Sat on his backside and he's been sliding down the kitchen floor.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. My dog's just laid there doing nothing.

[Gary Nichol]

And Wes was. I mean, what a leader.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, he was brilliant. The main thing, I'll always say, with. With that group of lads is the togetherness that we had. We literally did everything together. If we had a day off and someone said, right, we're gonna go for a meal, it was. Everyone was there. No one had not turned up. And I think that's how it should be. That's how you, you get your camaraderie, you get your togetherness. You can't, you can't just create that from being aware that. Yeah, from being at a training ground or at the games, that's it. The only time you see each other is in the dressing rooms.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

You need to do things together.

[Gary Nichol]

I mean, miraculously, it didn't quite stop there. Obviously a few years later, something else very, very special happen. But in the interim period you had the chance to join Arsenal and turn them down in favor of Leicester. You're a loyal soul, aren't you? I think that's what you know when people pick the words out, one word each for you to describe you. I think Becky said loyal. I think that's what I heard. And you were incredibly loyal to Leicester and I think that's one of the reasons why you, you very much in the hearts of Lester fans because, you know, turning down Arsenal is quite a big deal.

[Jamie Vardy]

It was. One of them is, I'll be honest. It was like a surreal situation. I've never been involved in that type of thing.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, yeah. I suppose because the crew, I mean, you had to move from Fleetwood to Leicester, kind of no brainer.

[Jamie Vardy]

But this was a bit like on paper. Yeah, they were a way bigger club.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, well, they are.

[Jamie Vardy]

But I was like, I say I was away that, that summer with, with England and when you're away with it, you have so much time on your arms. It is frightening. Yeah. So that just gave me the space to just think about everything, everything, everything and just said, no, yeah, it's not happening in the end.

[Gary Nichol]

I mean, a lot of people going, well, what's he doing there? But on the FA Cup a few years later in Arsenal, you know, still chasing a. Some sort of title now to this day, you might make the difference, of course, who knows? But the FA cup was also incredible. That's another thing Lester had never done in the history.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, good old Yuri.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. What a goal.

[Jamie Vardy]

Oh, frightening. What a player he was.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, he was special, wasn't he? I think I spoke to Brendan Rogers about him and he said he was almost like his coach on the field. So he's so intelligent.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, he was frightening. Obviously I'd come across him playing against in England and then when it got mentioned that, that we were signing, straight away I was telling the lads, I'm like, this guy's good. Yeah, this guy's very good. And like you say for such a young age that he was still at his intelligence of being on that pitch and what was required or movements or passes was.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Was unbelievable.

[Gary Nichol]

He could find you with a pass as well.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yep.

[Gary Nichol]

The strikers always appreciate that in a player.

[Jamie Vardy]

I mean I did try telling his agent that I'd set me dog on him if he made Yuri leave. Obviously didn't work.

[Gary Nichol]

The threat didn't work at all. England. How do you look back on your England career? I mean it's special to have played for England. What you about seven goals in 20 odd games?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. 20, 26 games I think it was.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Sean Sharp.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. But it's still, it's still more than. Yeah. Than most players ever have and probably way beyond what you could have probably dreamed of when you were banging in the old gold. Halifax, etc.

[Jamie Vardy]

Definitely. No, it was, it was unbelievable. Getting to play obviously for your country. Got to do a Euros and a World Cup.

[Gary Nichol]

You think you deserve a few more chances or.

[Jamie Vardy]

Myself personally. Yes.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

But making the decision when I did to. To stop playing was in my eyes the right decision. I mean I'm still going now.

[Gary Nichol]

So it's a longevity reasons alone. Yeah. Because she came late to the game as well.

[Jamie Vardy]

But it's prolonged my, my club career so I can't fault the decision that I made. It was definitely the right one.

[Gary Nichol]

Your bow out with Leicester was I think as good as it can possibly be, isn't it? If someone was right in this, they'd have gone, oh come on, come on. 200 goals. Last appearance before he said he's going and he has one goal to score to make it 200. And of course you did.

[Jamie Vardy]

To be fair, I have to thank the club with, with all that as well because I went and spoke to obviously the hierarchy when we found out that that last home game would be the fifth, 500th game.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

I literally.

[Gary Nichol]

Cuz there's one more game after that away game.

[Jamie Vardy]

I literally went in and just explained. I said look, I. With all due respect, I'd rather bow out at home.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Then. And I promise I'll score then go away to Bournemouth.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

And there's only a thousand Leicester fans there.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

I said that's not what I want to be able to say and could. We're really good and supportive with that and said yeah, no, that's, that's what we think as well. So that's, that's how it happened. And there was no way I weren't scoring that day.

[Gary Nichol]

So you do make things happen sometimes, don't you? You've got that now.

[Jamie Vardy]

Just gotta get.

[Gary Nichol]

It's quite a nice nap.

[Jamie Vardy]

Get it all perfect.

[Gary Nichol]

How's Italy? How did that come about, Italy? Was it a decision? Was the choices on where to go or. I'm sure there must have been.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, there were a few. There were a few. We spoke to. To the manager at the start of the season. One thing I did say in summer was I'm leaving it to the last

[Gary Nichol]

minute to give you more time to think.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, it gave me longer to spend with my family. That was the main thing.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Because, you know, footballers are away a lot on.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

Traveling.

[Jamie Vardy]

So to be able to have a solid 12 weeks with them, not missing anything like I would during a season or like I would normally, that was something I was doing.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah. Kept myself in shape, kept myself training stuff while I was there, but I weren't spending a minute away from them. That didn't have to be.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. How's Italy? It's a beautiful place.

[Jamie Vardy]

It's lovely. Yeah. But I. I always holiday there every year. Oh.

[Gary Nichol]

Anyway. Yes. Yes. One of the reasons you chose it.

[Jamie Vardy]

It's easy decision like that.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Yeah. And the football's different. I mean, defensive minded. I mean, I know people say that's a football and cliche, but it. It's sort of true. Particularly probably if you're a club that are struggling. But you've. You've done all right. You're Player the Month 1. Was it November or October? Something like that. Saw a brilliant assist the other day. Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

On the odd left swinger. Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. You went a bit on the left there, weren't you? First time. Left foot as well. Very, very accurate. You enjoying the football or the life or. Bit of both or Neither?

[Jamie Vardy]

Both. Both. It is different, but I like. I like that. It's.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Me learning something new even though I'm 39.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

I don't think you can. You can never be too old to. To learn new things. So to experience the different side of how they play and get used to that as well, can only from in my eyes benefit me.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

As a player and as a person.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. How's your Italian?

[Jamie Vardy]

It's not great. It's not great. Very, very small. But if. If I'm honest, when you're out there, there's. There's not that much time. Like all family and everyone are with me.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

So it's train, go back, get the kids from school, one of them's got football, one's got gymnastics, whatever. So here, there and everywhere.

[Gary Nichol]

Make sure kids speak in Italian.

[Jamie Vardy]

Kids are great at Italian.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

I don't know, they pick it up so quick.

[Gary Nichol]

So easy. And it's like sponges at that age. Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

It's just. They start talking to me and I'm like, one second. But like the basics. I'm. I'm fine with it, you see, it's more when the full sentences are coming and you're like, oh, I know what that word is. It's just getting used to it like that.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. How long can you keep? I mean, you're nearly barely 40, you know.

[Jamie Vardy]

I know.

[Gary Nichol]

I mean, there's not many players playing you full. I mean, Ronaldo's still going, obviously, and want Pepe and one or two other players. Players are lasting longer these days, probably the weight, you know, of health and all that sort of thing. So what. What about you? What? You. How long do you think or have you not eaten?

[Jamie Vardy]

I don't. If I'm honest, I don't think about it. These. These.

[Gary Nichol]

They'll tell you.

[Jamie Vardy]

Will tell me when they were.

[Gary Nichol]

But not yet. They're not yet. You're wily, though. You're wily. Old thing. You can say you're an old thing now. I'm not as old as me, but, you know, you're spindly. So I think it's the heavy bone, one of the big lads in it, that don't tend to last so long.

[Jamie Vardy]

I also think there's a lot more nowadays, technology wise, for recovery and stuff.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, a lot more. And unfortunate enough that I've got it all at my house.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

So I think that plays. Plays a big part in it as well, which is why they still. It was feeling all right at the moment post football.

[Gary Nichol]

There's a lot of life after football, you know, however long you. I mean, you are. You know, you are coming to, let's say, the twilight of your career.

[Jamie Vardy]

It's. And he'll tell you, John, it infuriates him. It's one thing I never get into a conversation about. I've not thought about it. I'll deal with that when it comes.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Management, though.

[Gary Nichol]

No, I can understand why that infuriates you, John.

[Jamie Vardy]

Management, definitely.

[Gary Nichol]

How's he supposed to help you and plan for you?

[Jamie Vardy]

I've always been like that. Like I'm always.

[Gary Nichol]

Well, it's work for you. It's worked for you.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

I'm always day to day.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

Could I tell you what I've done yesterday? Probably not.

[Gary Nichol]

I'm glad I didn't ask that question.

[Jamie Vardy]

That's just.

[Gary Nichol]

I'll tell you. Probably traveled back from Italy.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, I did.

[Gary Nichol]

I was just a guess But I did work out two days ago. You played in the game, so it's half a chance.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

You could have flown this morning. Morning. That would have scuppered me.

[Jamie Vardy]

But. Yeah, but, yeah, I just. The only thing I can control is the here and now.

[Gary Nichol]

And a football which you've controlled. Jamie, it's been an absolute pleasure. I can highly recommend the documentary. Tell us what it's called.

[Jamie Vardy]

What's it called, Jamie? Vardy Untold. There we go.

[Advertiser]

There you go.

[Jamie Vardy]

I know what it's called. There we go.

[Gary Nichol]

You remembered that.

[Jamie Vardy]

I'm just not watched it.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, you, you must. I don't know whether you enjoy because I, I, I know what you mean. I, it's kind of watching yourself is never. I never like. Well, I lie and say I never like watching myself, but I like watching himself score goals. You must, you must do that. At least sometimes.

[Jamie Vardy]

Only when my son's got it on.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah. Well, I'm not saying you put them on deliberately to watch.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, but he, he's obsessed with it.

[Gary Nichol]

Is he?

[Jamie Vardy]

Oh, he's.

[Gary Nichol]

That's one of the joys of children. Yeah. They show you your goals.

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah, he's. He'd literally wake up in the morning, straight downstairs. Sky remote. Bosch, Bosch. Bosch Search. I might, mate. What you watching?

[Gary Nichol]

Body Untold. That's what he's watching.

[Jamie Vardy]

He'll then turn around and go, highlights from last week. You watched them already. He's like. Yeah. Do you know what?

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, go on. Does he play?

[Jamie Vardy]

Yeah.

[Gary Nichol]

Good sawing. Volley one in. In the documentary. Quite. He's tidy.

[Jamie Vardy]

He's all right.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah.

[Jamie Vardy]

But I'm not. I'm not. Push powder.

[Gary Nichol]

No, no, I didn't think.

[Jamie Vardy]

No, I laid back.

[Gary Nichol]

Yeah, possibly.

[Jamie Vardy]

I can't do that. It's not. It's not fair on them. No. If he wants to do it. All right, mate. Yep. I'll support you. If you don't want to do it, absolutely fine.

[Gary Nichol]

That's what all parents should do, Jamie,

[Jamie Vardy]

to be perfect, you know, Some don't.

[Gary Nichol]

I know. Some are pushy. Some are very pushy indeed. J. Absolute pleasure. And. And keep going as long as you can and keep banging in the goals.

[Jamie Vardy]

Well done. Thank you. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money. Because behind every headline is a bottom line, whether it's the funds fueling AI

[Gary Nichol]

or crypto's trillion dollar swings.

[Jamie Vardy]

There's a money side tax every story. And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe [e-mail].