Alfie May’s journey from non-league footballer and part-time builder to PFA League One Player of the Year is a testament to perseverance and talent.
Now 31, May’s career took off at Charlton Athletic last season, where he netted an impressive 27 goals across all competitions. This marked his third consecutive season with 20 or more goals, catching the attention of Birmingham City, a club determined to make a swift return to the Championship. Birmingham, with NFL legend Tom Brady as a minority owner, identified May as a key player in their quest for promotion after their relegation to League One.
Birmingham’s summer transfer window was busy, and May was one of the notable additions, joining the club for around £775,000. He has made an immediate impact, becoming League One’s top scorer with four goals in the early stages of the season, contributing to Birmingham’s unbeaten start under manager Chris Davies. His impressive form has only been eclipsed by Erling Haaland, with May scoring more goals than any other player in England’s top four leagues, apart from the Manchester City striker.
May’s rise through the football pyramid has been nothing short of extraordinary. Before turning professional at the age of 23, he worked with his brother as a builder while playing for Hythe Town in the eighth tier of English football. His hard work and persistence paid off in January 2017 when he secured a move to Doncaster Rovers. He immediately made an impact by helping Rovers secure promotion to League One. Despite his promising performances, May struggled for consistent game time at Doncaster and moved to Cheltenham Town in 2020, where his career truly flourished.
At Cheltenham, May cemented his reputation as a prolific goal scorer, netting 67 times in 165 appearances. His consistency led to a move to Charlton Athletic in the summer of 2022, where he continued his remarkable scoring run and claimed the League One Golden Boot. His stellar performances didn’t go unnoticed as he was named the PFA Player of the Year for League One and earned a spot in the Team of the Season.
Birmingham City were quick to recognise May’s abilities, signing him to lead their attack in their bid to return to the Championship. In addition to May, the club broke the League One transfer record by signing Fulham’s Jay Stansfield in a deal worth up to £20 million, part of a summer spending spree that totalled £34 million.
Speaking to talkSPORT after his latest accolade, May reflected on his unusual path to professional football. “It’s a dream, really,” he told presenter Jeff Stelling. “At Doncaster, I didn’t really have the chance to do what I know I can do in terms of playing games and scoring goals. When I got the chance to go to Cheltenham, I changed my mentality and tried to secure a spot in the team and score goals.”
May also opened up about his late arrival to professional football when asked by co-host Ally McCoist why it took so long for him to be spotted. “I’m not too sure really, it’s a difficult one,” he admitted. “Because I went on trial when I was a builder at my brother’s company, and it got to a point where my brother was like, ‘You’ve got to try and either secure a contract or get your head down at work.’” He added, “When Darren Ferguson called me at work to offer me a two-and-a-half-year contract at Doncaster, I was delighted.”
May will be looking to continue his rich vein of form when Birmingham take on fellow promotion hopefuls Wrexham after the international break. The match will draw considerable attention, not least due to the involvement of high-profile owners. Wrexham, famously backed by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, will face off against Birmingham, a club part-owned by American sports icon Tom Brady.
Our View
Alfie May’s journey from a timber framer to League One’s top striker is the kind of football fairy tale we all love to see. His story is proof that hard work, patience, and seizing opportunities can propel players to the top, even when the odds seem stacked against them. May’s transition to Birmingham has been seamless, and his early-season form suggests he’s more than capable of leading the Blues back to the Championship.
What’s truly impressive about May is his persistence and humility. Not many players break into professional football so late and thrive the way he has. With Wrexham on the horizon, it’ll be fascinating to see how May fares against another rising star in the football world – the club backed by Hollywood. Football is rarely short of drama, and May’s story is one of the best so far this season.
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