Jayden Stockley: Harry Kane and Mo Salah outscored by Exeter City striker in 2018

"I saw one stat with Messi, Ronaldo, Stockley the other day and I was laughing my head off."

But it's no laughing matter for League Two defences who have been up against him in 2018 - he has 22 goals so far in this calendar year, more than any other player in England.

In fact, only megastars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have found the net more often in club matches than the 25-year-old former Bournemouth youngster.

"I'm just doing my job really, I'm not even thinking about how many goals I can get, but the balls keep coming in and I get in the right places," he says.

Unsurprisingly he was on the scoresheet in City's 2-0 win over Swindon Town at St James Park on Saturday that kept them second in the table - and now has a division-high nine goals for the season, three of them in the last two games.

"I'm not one to set targets, I just want to try my best," he continues.

"It'd be nice to hopefully chip away at that total throughout the season and end up anywhere on that list really would be nice, a top-10 finish would be lovely.

"But it's all about promotions at the end of the day, it's all about the team and I know it's the same old cliché, but I'm so proud of the boys."

Journeyman finds a home

Stockley's career has taken longer than most to blossom.

A star of the youth system at Bournemouth, he was a victim of their rapid rise up the English Football League.

He made his debut in 2009 when the Cherries were still in League Two, but went on to make just one league start for the club.

Loan spells at eight clubs, including Torquay United, Leyton Orient, Woking and Accrington, followed, before he finally made his mark in his last at Exeter in the first half of 2016.

The Grecians tried to prise Stockley away from Dean Court that summer, but instead he chose Scottish top flight side Aberdeen.

After a year about as as far away from his native south coast as it was possible to go, he returned to Exeter on deadline day in August 2017 as the club's first six-figure signing.

"We knew when he was on loan here, two seasons ago, what a good player he was and it was disappointing when he signed permanently for Aberdeen," says BBC Radio Devon's Exeter commentator Andrew Barge.

"Since he's come back, he's been magnificent for the team, whether he's played as a lone striker or in a partnership, and his ability and hard work are showing dividends.

"The goals speak for themselves and he's proving that last season wasn't just a one off. At just 25, you hope there's more to come from him."

More than a 'one-trick pony'

Stockley has scored more goals this year in league football than the likes of Luis Suarez, Robert Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappe, and his physique makes him the ideal target man.

Last season, the tall, intelligent forward with a distinctive shock of blond hair was deployed as the focal point of a front three by ex-City boss Paul Tisdale.

This term, he has struck up a formidable partnership with Jonathan Forte - the pair have 13 goals between them in League Two - and with six headed goals to his name, he is the leading aerial marksman in the EFL.

"I'm hoping people don't start thinking I'm just a one-trick pony, just a head on a stick - I have scored with my feet, I promise," he jokes.

"It's an area of my game which is improving, it comes with experience. It's such a hard skill to do and it seems to have died out, but there's no better feeling than a diving header goal, I think they're the best sort of goals."

Stockley cites Andy Carroll as an inspiration, but West Ham's former Newcastle and Liverpool striker isn't the only one.

"When I was younger I used to love Teddy Sheringham. He was not blessed with pace, but those first five yards were in the head and he could get away from anyone.

"I'm nowhere near his level it'd be nice to be the poor man's Teddy, he was fantastic," he explains.

"Right now I'm liking people like Glenn Murray. What he's doing at the top level, his movement is so clever and the way he pulls off the back of people.

"Glenn Murray's the one I look up to at the moment, the fact that he's scoring goals and a player like him is definitely someone to look up to."

The future

Forwards who have had to graft their way to the top of the game seem to be back in vogue at the moment.

As well as Brighton's Murray, Jamie Vardy, Ashley Barnes and even Harry Kane - who had four loan clubs including Leyton Orient and Millwall - have proved that you can make it even if you have to start at a lower level.

So could Stockley be the next big-money transfer to follow the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Ollie Watkins and Matt Grimes out of the door at St James Park?

"I've got aspirations to play higher and higher," admits Stockley.

"That only works if you lay down good foundations and be reliable as a goalscorer.

"You can't have one good season and expect everyone to want you, you've got to be someone who people will say 'Stockley will get you 20 goals a season' and here at Exeter, if I can keep doing it here, hopefully that'll result in a promotion."

If he can keep on scoring, don't bet against them going up a division next season and Stockley having the chance to become one of League One's deadliest forwards.