Steve's Updates

The Injury
(by Steve Blatherwick)

I have been struggling with the back for several seasons but it has always been manageable and to be honest going into pre-season training I felt superb. I was having a great pre-season and was working really hard. I played in the game against Matlock Town and felt fine and was really optimistic about the season ahead. It was the following week that my life turned upside down. We were practicing heading out of defence, I landed on the hard ground and I felt something go, there was a sharp pain right across my lower back. I knew it was the same injury I had suffered a couple of times in the previous few seasons but this time I knew it was more serious but never once did it cross my mind that it might be career threatening.

Over the next four months I followed the medical advice and worked with Jamie Hewitt to repair and strengthen the injury but it always seemed a case of one step forward, two steps back. No matter what injections or tablets they gave me nothing seemed to be working. This really is the lowest part of professional sport and it was really getting to me. The problem with a herniated disc is that it affects the whole nervous system in the legs and if you try to do something it doesn’t like then it can cause other (compensatory) injuries. At one stage I thought it was going to be alright and started to step up the training but then I ruptured my calf muscle and the specialist advised that this was all connected to the back problem.

I saw several “specialists” and at first the advice differed from “your lucky to be walking, pack up” to “surely you can kick a football, stop wasting my time”. What a pillock he was, I could hardly get out of bed in the morning never mind fight a centre forward for the ball!

When I finally realised that I would have to pack up or risk permanent disability it hit me like a bolt from the blue. I remember that I had been called in for a meeting with Roy, the Chairman and Jamie Hewitt to go through the results of the latest scan. I knew deep down it wasn’t good because of those present. We discussed the options and whilst an operation was possible it was very dangerous and I could have ended up much worse off. It was a very difficult decision and I don’t mind admitting that I shed a tear or two, but I had my family to think of and I am grateful for the career I have had.

Life After Football
(By Steve Blatherwick)

Life moves on, as they say, but to be honest it has been much tougher than I expected. I miss many aspects of the game, the camaraderie, match days but most of all I miss heading the ball! Yes strange, I know, but that feeling of jumping and beating my opponent to “bosh” the ball is something I really miss. Anyway I will get some psychological help with that one. :-)

So what have I been doing since I packed up. Well I wanted to stay in sport in some way and I am particularly interested in fitness and nutrition so I enrolled on a course to train as a Personal Trainer and Nutritionist. The course is normally takes two years but professional sportsmen can go on a four month fast-track which was partially paid for by the PFA.  The amount of study was unbelievable but I really enjoyed the course and am proud to say that I passed all 12 exams first time so I am now a qualified as a level 3 Personal Trainer, Nutritionist and Sports Therapist.

I am now looking at several ideas for “earning a living in the real world”, as my old man says. I have started to put together a plan for delivering specialist training for amateur footballers. It’s like circuit training but all focused toward the speed, agility and quickness required for football. I hope to also pass on some of the knowledge I have picked up over the years form people like Brian Clough, Roy McFarland and Stuart Pearce to help players realise their potential and improve their game at whatever level they are playing.

I have really enjoyed getting involved in the organization of my testimonial and I am learning a lot from the people who have volunteered their services and expertise. My eldest brother, Michael, is my testimonial Chairman and he has put together a great committee made up of the following shrewd businessmen and die hard Chessy fans:

• Phil Tooley, former Chairman of CFSS.
• Dean Newman, Managing Director of Printability 2000.
• Santi Perez, Sales Director of Global Brands (VK Vodka).
• John Norman – Lifelong Chesterfield fan and Director of Taxation with accountants BDO Stoy Hayward.
• Mike Bacon – Runs MVB Communications who design and produce the Chesterfield Match Day programmes.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their efforts and friendship.