As another FA Cup campaign comes to a close this weekend, with Crystal Palace taking on Manchester City in the 2024/25 final, no story captures the romance and unpredictability of the competition quite like that of Gary Lockyer.
The striker from eighth-tier outfit Ashford United defied the odds to finish as the competition’s expected top scorer, ahead of Premier League royalty such as Erling Haaland and Mo Salah.
“It’s something that's gonna stay with me forever, you know," Lockyer, who is set to be awarded the Golden Ball Award in partnership with Mitre, tells FourFourTwo.
Gary Lockyer: 'A player like me winning the top-scorer prize is what the FA Cup is all about.'
“The award can be passed down to my children,” he says now. “Growing up as a kid, you watch the FA Cup and dream of playing in it someday, so to win an award like this is just incredible."
Lockyer’s remarkable haul of 10 goals propelled his club to a Third Qualifying Round appearance, and ultimately saw him set to lift the competition’s golden boot, or ball in this case.
"For a lot of people, the most magical aspect of the FA Cup is the lower-league teams that leave their mark or have an impact in some way," Lockyer says. "A player like me winning the top-scorer prize is an extension of that, which makes me really happy."
His journey began with an August preliminary round fixture – a far cry from the grandeur that will accompany Saturday’s final. For clubs like Ashford, the road to the Third Qualifying Round itself was tough.
"Our campaign started way back in August – the elite teams didn’t come in until January, in the Third Round proper," recalls Lockyer. "So we had a head start on them but also ran the risk of being knocked out much sooner."
Those early matches allowed Lockyer to rack up his goals before the Premier League stars joined in the fun. "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 the fans happy," he says. "But it was never a real ambition to win this prize so that’s just been the cherry on top of a good cup run."
After downing the likes of Eggham and Three Bridges en route to the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round, Lockyer and his team-mates were eventually defeated by Chertsey Town. Now, Lockyer’s name is etched into the annals of the competition.
"Having my name mentioned alongside the likes of Erling Haaland and Mo Salah, who couldn’t outscore me, is something really special," he smiled. "I think it shows that football can still surprise you, and that’s why people love the FA Cup."
Ten appears to be the magic number. Last season the award was won by JJ Lacey of Biggelswade Town with 10 goals. JJ was presented his award by Dion Dublin at last season’s FA Cup Final. As with JJ, Ashford United’s Gary Lockyer has been invited as an honorary guest of The FA to this season’s FA Cup Final, where he will receive his award.
The Golden Ball Award in Partnership with Mitre champions teams lower down the pyramid and gives them the opportunity to compete against players at the top end of the game, shining a light on the lower league teams and players.
