Staunton's Green-Fingered Career Move Shows There's Life After Football

Now his main focus is tending to it after taking an important step forward in life having set up a gardening business.

The 28-year-old defender says he discovered last season how important it is to plan for the future after being released by Yeovil Town.

The former Maidstone United, Dagenham & Redbridge, Woking and FC Halifax player has spoken about the importance of ‘what’s next’ for players, with many only ever knowing one career.

He says the penny dropped for him earlier this year and dedicated time to getting his venture off the ground.

"It was a situation where I had things thrust on me in terms of the next step in my life," Staunton said in an interview issued with BBC Points West.

“But I think if you spend too much time looking back thinking about what-ifs and feeling sorry for yourself, you lose the present. It's been a whirlwind. I think they say you never know what's round the corner in life and this is the epitome of that.

"If someone had said to me you're going to be starting your own company by February and really in full swing by the summer when I should be having some time off from football, I don't think we would have guessed this would be the case."

He says Yeovil’s former groundsman was his mentor and hasn’t looked back after his green-fingered career move.

"I was in football for years and was very ‘tunnel vision’ like any young footballer,” he added. “You think the day is never going to come.

"I've enjoyed the new challenge and I would definitely recommend for people to go out and be brave enough to try things on your own."