Former QPR, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and England striker Ferdinand started his career at Hayes, which has since merged with Yeading to form Hayes and Yeading United and says there are still plenty of diamonds to be found.
Hayes & Yeading Utd v Horsham
The FA Trophy
Third Round Qualifying
3pm, Sunday 30 November 2014
Beaconsfield Road
Winners receive £4000 from prize fund
He was one of a crop of players plucked from non-League before going on to make very successful international careers, alongside the likes of Stuart Pearce, Stan Collymore, Ian Wright, Chris Waddle and John Barnes.
"Supporters don't want to see you go and take players out of non-League football but I think that's what it's going to go back to, because it's showing," said Ferdinand, who is now Head of Football Operations at QPR.
"You've got Jamie Vardy at Leicester who came out of non-League and Charlie Austin here at Rangers playing in the Premier League, applying his trade and looking comfortable among the people that he's playing against.
"There is talent out there and it's up to us to try and exploit that."
Hayes & Yeading United will face Ryman League Division One South strugglers Horsham who sit two divisions and 54 places below them in the league pyramid.
This game is by no means a foregone conclusion though, as Horsham have played three games in the competition already having started in the Preliminary Rounds, and will certainly approach this with a 'nothing to lose' attitude in the hope of causing an upset.
Since the merger as well, United have flattered to deceive in The FA Trophy having only managed to reach the Second Round Proper once in their previous seven attempts.
The FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying takes place this weekend
Ferdinand was originally signed by QPR from Hayes for £30,000 and they did even better when 'Sir Les' made a big money move to Newcastle.
Now he believes that supporters play as much a part as the owners and managers when it comes to looking into players from non-League football.
"When you look at football clubs it's not just the owners and managers that don't go looking to non-League, I think it's supporters as well," he explained.
"Now I think supporters feel their team is not competing if they're not spending £10m to £20m a season on players."
