'The perfect EFL striker' Inside Walsall striker Levi Amantchi's remarkable rise from non-league

Elokobi, who signed Amantchi for Maidstone in 2023, played an instrumental role in his journey to the Football League over the past 18 months. 

But when he first arrived at the Gallagher Stadium, it was clear that the towering frontman was a work in progress. 

"I remember we played our first pre-season friendly, some of the fans were saying I would get the sack if I had a striker like him," the Maidstone boss recalls. 

"But I just laughed and said he will come good. We knew that he was the unfinished article but I saw the promise, he just needed polishing and needed to understand the game more tactically." 

It was a brutal induction to life at Maidstone but Amantchi was eager to learn, and most importantly, willing to put in the hours. 

"There was a lot of information being taken on and he had to take it on board as quickly as possible. It was about managing him as a person, managing his minutes and managing his load," Elokobi explains. 

"We did that in pre-season so he didn't just play all the games. Then, pre-season was over and we got to work. He was out on the training ground doing extra work as early as 8:30am and Levi wanted to do it. 

"His appetite to develop and enhance his game was there to be admired. When you see that, you want to do everything to help them get to the next level." 

Amantchi opened his goal scoring account from the bench in a 1-1 draw at Yeovil Town in his fourth league appearance and the goals simply continued to flow. 

He plundered 13 goals in 20 matches in the National League South and added six more on Maidstone's famous journey to the FA Cup fifth round. 

The Newcastle-born striker suffered an injury in the second round success over Barrow in his final game for the club, but his last league game in Maidstone colours heralded what has been described as one of the best goals ever witnessed at the Gallagher Stadium. 

"He started the move with a one-two in a very tight area with lots of Havant & Waterlooville players in front of him," his former boss reminisces as he casts back his mind. 

"You would've thought he was Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. With such a big profile, you wouldn't think he had such quick feet and he found himself deep to the byline where he managed to squeeze it through bodies and past the keeper. 

"The Gallagher stand stood still when it happened and then it erupted. It was an amazing goal, a solo goal by Levi Amantchi. 

"I did say, Levi was going to score 15+ goals by the end of December because we saw the potential and promise."

Walsall were among the clubs attempting to sign Amantchi in January last year but he chose then National League side Bromley as his next destination. 

Amantchi won promotion five months later despite grappling with injury upon his arrival and Elokobi feels the former Maidstone striker has all the ingredients to succeed in the Football League following his permanent switch to Walsall. 

"I knew that he was destined to move on at some stage because when you're scoring the volume of goals and the type of goals he was scoring. And also his profile, being 6ft 3in, he is the perfect, ideal EFL striker. 

"When that moment came to shake hands, I have him the biggest hug and we wished him well. We felt that was the right move for him and we told him he'd be stupid not to go. 

"The player comes first and the person comes first because I was in the same shoes as him when I made my move to Colchester United from Dulwich Hamlet." 

And for Elokobi, Amantchi's legacy will continue to live on at Maidstone. 

"As a management team, it's a joy to see him progress to where he has within the last 18 months," he concludes. 

"That's what we say to the players, if you work hard, keep learning and make the sacrifices then you never know where football can take you. 

"Levi is such a humble young man. You really want him to do well. When he scores, he's happy but the next day he wants to improve."