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Macaulay Langstaff wants to ‘score more than Haaland and replicate Vardy’s journey’

Macaulay Langstaff says via Sky Sports that he wants to ‘score more than Erling Haaland and also replicate Jamie Vardy’s journey’.

He has been speaking with the broadcaster ahead of his side’s televised League Two clash at the weekend which will see Notts County play host to Bradford City on Saturday lunchtime.

So far, in the Magpies’ first season back in the fourth tier since 2018/19, Macaulay Langstaff has scored 12 goals in 19 games, 11 in 17 games in the league.

Notts County currently sit 5th in the League Two table with 30 points from 17 games played, eight points behind leaders Stockport County.

He said: “My football journey has different the most. It’s not usually the route people go down, obviously you see people going through the academy routes and professional routes from 17, 18, 19 year old and being at top academy clubs and then working their way through the pyramid that way.

“It’s very unusual to see someone come from the 11th tier, 10th tier and then playing the Football League. Obviously I’ve been one of them.

“So yeah, my journey has been fun. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster as I’ve haven’t always been good. The last couple of years have been really good, but before that I wasn’t getting in squads, I was on the bench a lot. So them years are tough. But yeah, I look back on my journey now and it’s been very good so far, but I don’t want to stop, I want to keep on going through the levels.

“I’m not comfortable playing in League Two and I want to stay forever. Even though I’ve came a long way, I don’t want to stay forever. I want to go through the leagues and make my story even more, even more readable because I think people do like to see my story and read about it. So I want more and more people to look at my story and hopefully it inspires them as well.

“When you see your name in the same sentence as Erling Haaland and when you see your picture alongside his, how can you not like it? It’s brilliant publicity, obviously, and I use it as a motivation to try and keep ahead of him. I’m not comparing myself to Erling Haaland in any way. We’re levels apart and he’ll be the best striker in you. For me, he’s my favourite striker to watch. So yeah, I’m not comparing myself to him, but the one little motivation I can take is his numbers and try and stay ahead of him because I know if I score more goals than Erling Haaland, albeit at a very low level, then I’m going to score a lot of goals because his numbers are frightening.

“I’m nothing compared to the physical attributes that he has. I don’t have an attributes. I can’t do the things he does. What I can do is replicate his movements to get there and be in the positions to score the goals. So I can watch his movement and the way he moves and the way he gets arrived into the box and he’s timing. I like to watch that a lot because I think he’s the best for me at doing that. But then I can’t beat a six foot five defender in the air and head running. I physically can’t do that because I haven’t got the attributes to do that.

“Jamie Vardy is probably the one for me because we’re similar in terms of the way we play. We like to be out and out goal scorers, running and beyond trying stretching defences and things like that. That’s the one that I look at and try and take inspiration from. And yeah, I’d love to replicate his story. I’m not sitting here saying I’m going to do that because I know how difficult it is, but if I can get close to doing that, I’d be very happy.”

You can see his chat with Sky Sports, in full, by clicking HERE.

On being released by Middlesbrough at the age of 12, he said: “To get told you’re not good enough at such a young age was heartbreaking, but now I see it as a positive I was released so early because it gave me time to bounce back.

“I never believed I’d be a football player. It wasn’t even an option for me. At 18, I was playing in the 11th tier and studying at college.

“So to have the years I’ve had since have been quite incredible. I’m proud of it. Some people go through the academy routes, they have that ability from an early age and they know they’ll make it.

“I didn’t have that, so I appreciate it even more. I don’t want to go back now. I want to keep going through the levels. I appreciate coming in every day. It was my dream.

“I don’t think I’ve fully taken it in, and I don’t think I will until I finish playing. My journey has been different to most. I’ve not taken the academy route, or the professional route.”

 

LANGSTAFF’S CAREER

Youth career
2007–2010 – Middlesbrough
2010–2014 – Boro Rangers
2014 – Stockton Town

Senior career
2014–2015 – Stockton Town
2015–2017 – Billingham Synthonia
2017–2018 – Gateshead – 5 games (0 goals)
2017 → Billingham Synthonia (loan)
2017–2018 → Blyth Spartans (loan) – 17 games (0 goals)
2018–2020 – York City – 60 games (11 goals)
2019 → Bradford (Park Avenue) (loan) – 5 games (1 goal)
2020 → Blyth Spartans (loan) – 3 games (0 goals)
2020–2022 – Gateshead – 62 games (36 goals)
2022– Notts County – 67 games (54 goals)

Twitter users gave their reaction as Macaulay Langstaff says he wants to ‘score more than Haaland and replicate Vardy’s journey’…

@Ben_of_Bramcote: Macca what a Ledge 👊🏼🖤🤍

@scottobell: How can you not love this guy.

@ImJamieMartin: What a nice lad. Deserves all the success he gets – fantastic player.

@FridayOdehMatt1: This is hilarious 🤣😆

@pieorama2: An acting career awaits when Macca quits football.

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