League Cup-winning Wolves midfielder Steve Daley talks about life after football once he had hung up his boots.
How did you feel after retiring?
You know that after one game it’s going to come to an end. It’s what you do after that which matters because you’ve got to sort something out. The money in those days wasn’t enough that you could live off it for the rest of your life, although there was insurance from the Players’ Football Association (PFA) which was brilliant, but I knew I had to get a job.
Did it take time for your life to adjust?
Not really. I was looking at quite a few jobs, but a mate of mine was a director of Highgate Brewery and he asked me to go and work for him. The first year I was up there I won salesman of the year, but that was because whenever I walked into a venue or a sales meeting, I didn’t have to introduce myself because everyone knew who I was. I had 11 years there before I moved to a smaller brewery, but I’ve been fortunate with all my jobs. Then Steve Kindon, who was here with me at Wolves, he became an after-dinner speaker – a brilliant one as well – and one day he called me up, asked what I was doing and said I should be an after-dinner speaker. We talked it over and I’ve been an after-dinner speaker for 16 years, alongside Kindo, and it’s been brilliant. I’ve been all around the country speaking; Manchester, Glasgow, Wales, and I can’t lie, I’ve had a great career with the way everything has gone.
Why are you raising awareness for prostate cancer?
I’ve had prostate cancer, so as part of my after-dinner speaking, I’ve been able to go into venues and talk to people about prostate cancer, and the importance for men to get checked regularly and get checked early. I remember I came to Molineux and gave a talk in the Sir Jack’s restaurant, and there were around 50 to 60 people there who were all in their 20s and early 30s, rather than in their 60s and 70s, which is great because that is the best age to get checked, so you can catch it early. When I first got checked, they sent me up to hospital and told me I had prostate cancer. I didn’t know what to do or how to think. When you’re a man, especially when you’ve been in a football environment, you think you’re invincible, but it’s so important to get checked and get checked early. I’m lucky because I’ve come through the over side. I’m happily married and have had three children, I’ve got 10 grandchildren and a great-grandson, and after getting the all-clear 18 months ago, touch wood, life is great at the minute.
Do you still catch up with your teammates?
We’ve been fortunate at Wolves because our players have all stayed together. Wolves is a unique club and it has a different feel when you play here. I’ve been to Manchester City and it’s not the same as it is here. You get a special bond when you play here, and especially thanks to the work of the Former Players’ Association, everyone stays in touch and you see each other all the time, and it’s absolutely brilliant. The FPA is so welcoming that players from every era have these opportunities to meet up and we get on like a house on fire. We have meetings, we have golf days every year, we do Q&As all over the place, and it’s great that you can still have an impact. I’ve had a fantastic career.
Why is Wolverhampton so special to you?
I came down to Wolverhampton when I was 15, on a month’s trial, and I ended up staying 10 years. And I wish I’d have stayed for another 10 years. But Wolverhampton is a wonderful place, and that shows with the amount of us who are still here. Phil Parkes, John [Richards], Kenny [Hibbitt], Willie [Carr], Geoff Palmer, Mel Eves – we’re all still together and we’re still great friends, but we’re all still here in Wolverhampton. I don’t think I’ve ever known that before and you don’t get this at other clubs. Nothing against the players here today, but when their careers are up and their contracts are up, they will probably go back to where they are all from, but our lads have always stayed here. Most players from my era who came from all around the country to play for Wolves have gone to play elsewhere, but they’ve come back to live in Wolverhampton. I don’t know what it is about the place, but it’s a brilliant place to be. I love it.
If you could play now, would you?
No. The only thing that would entice me to do that would be the money, but even then I’d have to think about it because I think the 70s were absolutely brilliant for football. It was an absolutely amazing time. We had an amazing set of fans, the players would go out and run their legs off for each other, and it was amazing. A great set of lads. So I wouldn’t change it for anything.
How do you hope you’re remembered at Wolves?
I hope I’m remembered better for my Wolves career than the Man City one! I just hope that when people remember me, they think Steve Daley gave his everything for the club. Because I’ve got two metal knees, a metal hip, I’ve had an Achilles tendon off, and I’ve had loads done to myself from playing. But if you asked me if I’d go through all that again to play for Wolves, I’d say absolutely.
This article originally featured in Wolves' official 2023/24 matchday programme. Last season's programmes are still available to purchase online through retailers Curtis Sports.
