Ebbsfleet striker Corey Whitely was earning minimum wage stacking shelves in a supermarket before he got his big break in non-League football

• e-mail

It has taken time, but Corey Whitely is knocking on the door of the Football League after stacking shelves in a supermarket.

The 26-year-old was earning minimum wage before earning a reputation as a real threat in front of goal for Ebbsfleet, who lost in the National League play-off semi-finals this month.

They were beaten by eventual winners Tranmere in extra time and it left Whitely, who signed for Ebbsfleet from Dagenham & Redbridge in February, with a familiar devastated feeling.

Corey Whitely in action for Dagenham and Redbridge against Ebbsfleet earlier this season

The forward also lost in last season's semi-finals to Forest Green, who also went on to secure promotion to League Two.

Despite suffering further play-off pain, Whitely will go again next season and could not imagine going back to working shifts at his local Iceland. 'I've never really been at an academy, just Sunday League,' said Whitely, who scored 11 goals this season - eight for Dagenham, three for Ebbsfleet.

'It makes me very hungry and grateful for where I am. Saturdays I would work in Iceland - stacking shelves, tills, taking in deliveries, bit of everything.

'Then Sundays I wouldn't work and would just go play football. I wouldn't say it's the hardest work but I'd rather play football than do shifts at Iceland.

'The five-year plan is to still be in the game. I don't want to think about not playing football. In five years I want to be as high as possible.'

Whiteley (pictured in 2016) is focused on football and can't imagine working back at Iceland

His transition into full-time football two years ago at Dagenham came quite late and was difficult.

'It was hard,' said Whitely, nicknamed 'Stepovers' after his favourite trick. 'I remember my first three weeks' training, and honestly I looked out of place. I knew it.

'My legs were tired, I wanted to just sleep. I was like, "What's going on?" Sometimes I think if I did it earlier I could have taken the wrong path and then I wouldn't be here.

'I'm only 26. I've got plenty of time. I've set myself a target to hit the Football League as my next step and after that I'll make my next goal.'

Darlington FC are the winners of this season's Marathonbet #NonLeagueChallenge best goal celebration in non-league football, which saw them awarded £20,000 and a friendly against a team of Legends. nlc.marathonbet.co.uk