22 Nov, 2012 @ 12:14
1 min read

BBC football pundit Steve Claridge: My return as a market trader

steve claridge homes gardens and outdoor living show costa del sol spain

By Jon Clarke

IT was something of a journey down memory lane for BBC football pundit Steve Claridge at the Homes, Gardens and Outdoor Living show, held on Spain’s Costa del Sol.

Working off a stand for sports investment company Milton Express reminded him of selling plants from a roadside stall, near Portsmouth, after leaving school.

The former striker, 46, who played for a host of Premiership clubs, often made more money as a market trader than he did in the first five years of his career.

“Some weeks actually made me a lot more money than when I first became a professional footballer,” he told the Olive Press.

“It took me five years to get to the weekly wage I often made selling plants.

“In the run up to Christmas we used to make thousands selling Christmas trees and other shrubs.

“It particularly helped when a brand new supermarket opened up just up the road.

“In fact, it wasn’t until I was at Birmingham that I finally earned substantially more.”

Claridge – who has played for a record 20 league clubs and has a punditry contract with the BBC – was in Spain for show in Estepona at the weekend.

The successful event, attended by an estimated 4,000 people, also marked a happy return to the Costa del Sol for gardening expert Charlie Dimmock.

The popular TV gardener, 45, gave a presentation and did the rounds, having visited the area a couple of times with hit show Ground Force.

“It’s great to be back. The last time I was here was up on a finca near Istan, which created all sorts of problems for the team,” she said.

“The best thing was going out every night down in Puerto Banus with the team.”

Dimmock has long been a regular visitor to the Iberian Peninsular, as her mother Sue – who tragically died in the Tsunami in 2004 – had a holiday home in Portugal.

The event comprised hundreds of companies and specialists from numerous different backgrounds and areas of expertise.

Generally both the visitors and stallholders were happy with the event, which will now return in April in Torremolinos.

Companies, including building firms Aim and Concept, dubbed it a success.

Andy from construction firm Roger Bullivent insisted it was an ‘excellent show’, while financial advisor Richard Alexander said it was a ‘great exhibition’ with many enquiries to follow up.

Olive Press gardening expert Sue Rodgers of Nevada Naturales was delighted with the turnout and the upbeat comments from visitors.

Children with Cancer raised over €500 on its stand.

Organiser Gina Marks, of GM Events, originally from Southampton said: “The feedback has been excellent and we are looking forward to our next event in the spring. Thanks to all the exhibitors who attended the event.”

Click here to read more News from The Olive Press.

Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)

Jon Clarke is a Londoner who worked at the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday as an investigative journalist before moving to Spain in 2003 where he helped set up the Olive Press.

After studying Geography at Manchester University he fell in love with Spain during a two-year stint teaching English in Madrid.

On returning to London, he studied journalism and landed his first job at the weekly Informer newspaper in Teddington, covering hundreds of stories in areas including Hounslow, Richmond and Harrow.

This led on to work at the Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Mirror, Standard and even the Sun, before he landed his first full time job at the Daily Mail.

After a year on the Newsdesk he worked as a Showbiz correspondent covering mostly music, including the rise of the Spice Girls, the rivalry between Oasis and Blur and interviewed many famous musicians such as Joe Strummer and Ray Manzarak, as well as Peter Gabriel and Bjorn from Abba on his own private island.

After a year as the News Editor at the UK’s largest-selling magazine Now, he returned to work as an investigative journalist in Features at the Mail on Sunday.

As well as tracking down Jimi Hendrix’ sole living heir in Sweden, while there he also helped lead the initial investigation into Prince Andrew’s seedy links to Jeffrey Epstein during three trips to America.

He had dozens of exclusive stories, while his travel writing took him to Jamaica, Brazil and Belarus.

He is the author of three books; Costa Killer, Dining Secrets of Andalucia and My Search for Madeleine.

Contact jon@theolivepress.es

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