World Cup Special: A whole different ball game
A pub can be a serious pitfall for a professional footballer - you only have to look at the likes of George Best, Paul Gascoigne and Stan Bowles to see why. If they'd passed the pub like they could pass a ball, who knows what they could have achieved on the pitch?
Yet, even after they hang up their boots, players seem unable to resist the lure of the local.
The professional path from player to publican has, traditionally, been a very well-trodden one. In the sepia-tinted days of yesteryear, before professional players earned a weekly wage to rival the annual GDP of a small African country, retired footballers had to carve out a career off the pitch - and often chose to tackle the pub business.
With less than 100 days to go until the World Cup in South Africa, The Publican contacted one former footballer and one current professional, both of whom run pubs, in search of some top tips.
JIM STEELE
When Southampton triumphed over Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup Final, Jim Steele, a hard-as-nails Scottish centre-back, was named man of the match. When he left Southampton, he moved to play in the US for the Washington Diplomats and, having opened a pub in the capital city, stayed for 18 years. He now runs the Black Bear pub in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.
Why did you choose the pub business after playing?
It wasn't planned at all. When I was playing at Southampton, I split from my wife and moved in with a team-mate who owned a pub.
I was living above the pub and used to come down and give them a hand when it was busy. It was the year of the cup final and after training one day, Lawrie McMenemy (the then Southampton manager) dragged me into his office and was fuming. He said: "Jim, I'm not happy. People have spotted you in the pub at all hours." Luckily, I had a solid alibi.
Is being a publican harder than being a player?
Without question. I'm nearly 60 and I'm still working 24/7. People think it's easy running a pub successfully, and that's why so many players chose it as a career after they finished playing, but it's a full-on job.
Do you have a strong football following in the pub?
Yes we do, we're the biggest football pub in the town and we've got four massive screens. Even though this is horse-racing country, there are lots of passionate football fans and as there's not a big team in the area, we get a crowd regardless of who's playing.
Do you expect the World Cup to be big business for you?
Of course, although having paid so much for a Sky subscription it's a bit frustrating that it's on BBC. We'll be showing every game and showing the games in the restaurant as well.
Any top tips for fellow publicans?
Get the basics right. Make sure people can see the screens and can get to the bar. We work closely with Carlsberg and it helps that our pints are a few pence cheaper than they are down the road. We also lay on some free food at half-time, do a raffle after the game and quite often we'll do a sweep to keep things interesting for the neutrals.
So, do you think England can win it?
I think they can but as a Scotsman, I hope they get to the final. If Wayne Rooney continues playing as he is, that will be a massive factor. He's on fire and if I was a manager of an opposing team I'd be telling my players to wind him up as his temperament is his only weak point. John Terry has been dreadful in recent weeks, which is a major concern.
Who do you predict will win it?
Spain. I have a house out there and have seen them quite a bit. They're very strong indeed.
CHRIS DAY
Chris Day, 34, juggles two jobs. By day, the former QPR, Millwall and Spurs goalkeeper plays for Stevenage Borough, currently riding high in the Blue Square conference, and by (early evening and) night, he swaps his keeping duties for those of the kitchen at the Crooked Billet in Stevenage, which he runs with his wife Andrea.
There can't be many current professional footballers running a pub, how did you get into it?
No, there aren't. In fact, I think I may be the only one. To be fair, my wife Andrea is the one who is in charge of the business but I look after the food side of things and we're very much hands-on. As a footballer, I've always had a lot of time on my hands in the afternoon and instead of going down the pub I used to do a lot of cooking and play around with different ingredients.
Is it hard work doing both jobs?
It's killing me. I opened the pub on the same day as signing for Stevenage Borough and I've never worked such long hours in my life - but I love it.
Are you a gastropub or a sports pub?
We're both. On the one side of the pub there's a bar showing all the games with four big screens, while on the other, there's an area for dining where we serve up some good, honest quality pub food.
As a business, how important is the World Cup?
It's massive. We've got two football teams that play for the pub and customers get excited when the yellow 'breaking news' bar on Sky Sports News comes up, so everyone's really excited about the summer.
Any top tips on how to make the most of the tournament?
I think it's essential to not just concentrate on the England games. They're clearly going to be the biggest draw but real football fans just want to watch football - whoever is playing - and so it's vital that you make an effort during the group games earlier in the tournament. Customers are loyal and if you make them feel welcome, look after them and create a bit of banter then people will come back again and again.
Will you be doing anything different?
Apart from praying that England perform, we will be closing the kitchen for the big games and making sure there are enough staff behind the bar turning over the taps. We're also going to set up a separate bottle bar in the garden to make sure everyone has a beer in their hand while the game's on.
Can England win it?
I think they can. With the climate and the time difference, I think a European nation will triumph and if England can keep 11 players fit and on form, they'll be very hard to beat. That said, the back five is now looking quite unsettled and we need to clear up the goalkeeping position.
