'WHERE ARE THEY NOW' BY SANDRA DICK
We meet the sportsmen who swapped green grass for pastures new
THE roar of the crowd, the thrill of the ball hitting the back of the net, and the whiff of Deep Heat spray…
It’s a long way from the heady heights of football stardom to the local recycling centre, but when the glory days come to an end, even top fl ight footballers fi nd themselves in need of being ‘recycled.’
Recently, it emerged that onetime Manchester United full back Richard Eckersley had made the switch from the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ to running a zero waste food shop in Devon.
The store, called 'Earth. Food. Love.' is based in the picturesque town of Totnes, South Devon, where Richard sells a range of loose produce - customers are expected to bring their own pots and jars, to fi ll up with what they need.
“I’m more passionate about the environment than football,” said the 28 year old, who made his debut during the 2008-09 season at the age of 19 in an FA Cup win over Tottenham. He went on to make further appearances on the Old Traff ord side’s journey to the Premier League title and League Cup.
Everything in his shop – dubbed the UK’s fi rst zero waste supermarket – is sold ‘loose,’ from fabric conditioner to couscous, sesame seeds, to liquid soap.
But while his shop breaks new ground, he’s not the only sports star to make the leap from sporting hero to saving the world in the waste and recycling industry…
Graeme Carter, Shred Direct, Durham
There was a time when Graeme Carter was on the pitch at Newcastle United, helping keep the goalmouth secure in his role as central defender.
These days he’s still helping the club’s defence, only now it’s helping protect his former club against the risk of fraud.
Graeme runs document shredding fi rm Shred Direct (
www.shreddirectltd.
co.uk), which picks up over 40 tonnes of confi dential waste for recycling every month, some of it from Newcastle United.
Launched in 2013, the business now has more than 250 clients. And as businesses
12 SHM November, 2017
Howay the lads: Graeme spent four years with Newcastle United, until a shoulder injury forced him to retire
recognise the growing need to dispose of sensitive documents securely, he’s looking to boost his team with extra staff to help cope with the work.
Back in the late Eighties, however, Graeme was rubbing shoulders with the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Peter Beardsley and Mirandinha – the fi rst Brazilian to play football in England.
He’s still helping the club’s defence, only now it’s helping protect his former club against the risk of fraud.
But a shoulder injury hindered his career. After a spell at Gateshead he moved into coaching in non-league football.
Like many footballers who had poured their heart and soul into the game, Graeme found himself wondering what to do next and applying for a string of jobs.
He caught the eye of a local waste business boss, who slotted him into a sales role. Graeme backed up the experience he was getting in the waste
industry with studying for an HNC in business and fi nance, which gave him the confi dence to break out on his own.
In the last 12 months alone, Shred Direct has collected, shredded and re-cycled more than 500 tonnes of confi dential waste and waste paper.
“A lot of footballers go on to work in football as coaches, but it’s a struggle to make a living,” said Graeme. “You end up working all hours to make a living.
“So few people make it big, and then when you leave it you really miss it because it’s such a big part of your life
“But I actually really enjoy helping businesses avoid becoming victims of fraud. It’s an exciting time for our business.”
Darren Davis, SUTCO
Darren Davis recalls his professional debut in a Notts County shirt, in May 1984: “I was 17 years old, it was the First Division back then, we were playing Sunderland. And we got relegated,” he laughed.
Despite the disappointment, the former England youth player went on to carve out a career in the game, playing for the club alongside the likes of Martin O’Neill, Andy Gray and Mark Draper, before moving on to a string of lower league
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