Jamie Vardy’s old local Fleetwood chippy reveals all ahead of Leicester’s FA Cup clash

JAMIE VARDY returns to the Cod Army for the first time since becoming a Premier League champion in the FA Cup third round tomorrow.

And Vardy, 30, who the Foxes paid then non-league Fleetwood £1million for in 2012, will get a hero’s welcome at the Highbury Stadium before taking on the League One side.

The town’s award-winning Granada Fish Bar owner, and ardent Fleetwood fan, Steve Lynton remembers how Vardy would often drop in.

He said: “Jamie used to enjoy his fish ’n chips. Before the club were promoted to the Football League, a lot of the team would eat in or grab a sneaky takeaway.

“And they would often say, ‘I’ll train it off tomorrow!', Jamie absolutely loved it. His plate was always empty at the end. He would have the full works — mushy peas, salt and vinegar and a couple of slices of lemon.

“My wife Bobby and I have always been winning awards for our fish ’n chips.

“That year we were ranked as having the world’s best mushy peas — and Jamie enjoyed them.

“It barely touched the sides with him. If Jamie fancies treating himself to fish ’n chips this weekend, he can have them on the house!”

Vardy made 42 appearances and scored 34 goals in his one season with the Cod Army as they won the Conference title and promotion to the Football League.

Lynton said: “We celebrated at the end of the season by having beers with Jamie in Jim’s Bar at the stadium.

“It was one of the most incredible seasons I’d ever witnessed from a Fleetwood player.

“Nobody has had an impact at this club like him, the fans used to nickname him ‘God’.

“I’ve so many memories — from him scoring from the halfway line in front of me, to skipping past three defenders and curling the ball into the net from outside the area.

“When Leicester signed him for £1m, many of us thought they had got a bargain.”

Vardy is legendary in non-league, not just for his football exploits but his wicked sense of humour.

He was one of the main orchestrators of dressing-room pranks — and ex-club chef Craig Brown was one of his victims.

He said: “It was my 40th birthday and Jamie and team-mate Jamie McGuire got hold of mustard, vinegar, flour, eggs, ketchup — anything messy.

“They invited me outside to look at something. I was then pulled to the ground before the full squad pelted me with eggs, flour and the lot. I remember telling them, ‘Remember who cooks your lunch!’

“Jamie was always one of the ring-leaders but we got on really well. One of the big things was he loved drinking Vimto.

“He’d always come into the kitchen asking for cans of the stuff, despite it being almost pure sugar. He must have drank gallons of it."

“When he didn’t like what was on the menu, he’d always come in and ask, ‘What else have you got in here, chef?’ And he’d often ask me to rustle him up an omelette.”

Long-serving club kitman Danny Moore added: “Jamie was one of these who just ate and drank what he wanted.

“He wasn’t into healthy food all the time. But whatever he ate and did in his life that season, it didn’t change the way he played football.”

Vardy’s return to Fleetwood has caught the town’s imagination.

Moore said: “When he signed there was nothing to him physically.

“He was so skinny and many doubted if he would be able to handle the big, strong Conference centre-halves."

“But he ended up having most of them for breakfast because his pace was electric and, for a small lad, he was actually very strong.

“When anyone talks about Fleetwood nowadays, they talk about Jamie Vardy.

“Nearly everyone in the town cannot wait to see him back here again. He’ll forever be welcome around these parts.”