Where Are They Now is designed for you if you are a football fan who is as curious as us to find out what happened to your favourite footballers after they retired from playing.
Have you ever wondered what happened to all of those players that you have seen come and go over the years? The heroes and the villains? The saints and the sinners? The stars that you talked about for years after they had retired and those you instantly forgot?
If so, Where Are They Now? is definitely for you!
Not all players end up running pubs or become TV pundits! It's no secret what Gary Lineker is up to these days but what about the many thousands of players who have slipped from public view? The first edition of "Where Are They Now?" uncovered some fascinating post football stories including the former Arsenal striker who became Iceland's Finance Minister; Millionaires; Bankrupts; Vicars; Comedians; Singers; a Phil Collins lookalike... and one or two publicans!
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Where Are They Now Books
This whole project began with a book entitled 'Where Are They Now? - Life After Soccer'.
This proved to be incredibly popular and led to the formation of this site as well as a number of club specific titles. So far, the series comprises of Manchester United, Chelsea, Portsmouth, Huddersfield Town, Aston Villa and Liverpool. Forthcoming titles include Arsenal, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion - watch this space!
Updated: 19-04-24 C Dowling
Remember watching him play for Bristol City in the 70s. Got his autograph outside St Pius Xth church in Hartcliffe in Bristol. A good humble man.Updated: 19-04-24 Ross BHARATH
A great striker. Watched him play for Durban City. A true gentleman. Sorry to hear he is in aUpdated: 16-04-24 Gary
Bullet header scored by Ian when at Northampton against Chesterfield.. still lives in the memory after 30 years !Updated: 15-04-24 Tom Ebbitt from lancaster
Hope you are still on the planet in Fla, we are getting up there in age now. Lancaster and Skerton school. We live in Annapolis m d. 21404 god bless.Updated: 11-04-24 Mark Barron
Mr Shaw (Stuart) was my PE teacher at Highfield Comprehensive School in Broadgreen Liverpool (1974 to 1979). He was also the manager of the school football team I played for. I loved my Saturday morning fixtures at Thomas Lane playing fields when we were at home and travelling on the coach for away fixtures after meeting at The Gardners Arms pub.Updated: 11-04-24 Christine
I remember him and his flowing blonde locks as he dashed down the field. I was only 8 or so when I first saw him play but he was my favourite player for sure. Seem to remember he was so well dressed. Think he had a men’s clothing shop in Wilde GreenUpdated: 11-04-24 David Halstead
I lived next door to David and Pat in Huddersfield. David and his team mates were away on a tour and had left his heavily pregnant wife Pat at home with the heavily pregnant wife of one of his team mates. I answered the door one night to find both ladies standing there one of whom feeling the signs of child birth.Updated: 08-04-24 Niven swain
My grandma used to live door to him on Stirling Road, Melton MowbrayUpdated: 05-04-24 Lisa
Ernie Is still going strong. I clean his house for him every month where he still lives alone most of the time except when he goes to see his lady friend at the weekends.Updated: 04-04-24 Lisa
Took dad back to Gigg Lane yesterday. He had the best time and was over the moon to be back at the ground. He enjoyed watching the match and said he wished he’d brought his boots. 86 years old and still as passionate as ever about football and his beloved Bury. Everyone made him feel very special and huge thanks to the amazing and kind James Bentley for organising it for Dad. It’s a day he won’t forget.
When we researched the first printed edition of 'Where Are They Now?' in the 1990's, footballers were already incredibly well paid by conventional employment standards but prior to that, players had to find a new career once they had hung up their boots.
This meant that we unearthed plenty of interesting and un-expected stories, many of which are found on the site. Sadly, there were some we could not re-produce for legal reasons - sorry!
Playing professional football, particularly at the highest level should ensure that modern players should not have to worry about money for the rest of their lives. Thankfully, this has not limited the number of fascinating tales for us to tell. For example, were you aware that former Sheffield United midfielder Curtis Woodhouse became British light welterweight champion when he took up professional boxing, having apparently 'fallen out of love' with football? If the rumours are true, he was not just a winner in the ring! At one point, he was considered to be 50 to 1 outsider to win the title and a successful £5,000 scooped him a cool £250,000 when he defeated defending champion Darren Hamilton.
As well as our regular club based pages, we also occasionally add more detailed player pages and would welcome your feedback. See: Ex-footballers who retired and got normal jobs, Did Tresor Kandol Score the Most Important Goal in Leeds United’s History?, Arsenal Greats, Ruud Gullit, Roy Bentley, Trevor Francis, Gavin Peacock, Carlos Valderrama, Graham Potter, Matt Holland, Liverpool's 2005-06 FA Cup Winning Team, and a look back at some of the best strikers to grace English football.
When do you think that the Premier League should re-start?
Where are they now? – Boro players who played League Cup’s season opening game 8 years ago.
Where are they now? – some other celebrities.
If you know of any other stories that may interest fellow fans, please do let us know.