Troy Deeney has opened up about his life before football and how he was earning just £50 a week.
Speaking on That Peter Crouch Podcast, the former Watford striker talked about his life before being scouted and how he even turned his hand to building to make some money. Deeney also divulged that as well as being kicked out of school at 15, he was working from the age of 11.
"I went to college, yeah I did everything, I was crap at it mind," said Deeney. "I got kicked out of school at 15, but I've always been working from like 11 years old, and like when you say it now everyone's a bit like 'What?' but at 11 I used to be a glass collector I'd help out my mum cleaning at The Bookies - whatever it was to help out at home."
The former Birmingham City man turned to building after he was expelled from school and earned £50 while he was training. Deeney added: "So I got kicked out of school and my mum said, 'Are you ever going to get a job or go to college?' and my cousin who I loved at the time, and I still do love him by the way, but I properly idolised him, he was at building college so I just applied, got in, got 50 a week and a bus ticket, and I was a builder and that lasted three months."
Deeney was lining up for Midland League side Chelmsley Town when he was 16, which eventually led to him getting his big break in football. However, the real twist in the tale came as Deeney's building career was coming to an end and the ex-goal-getter found himself out of work and running out of money.
The former forward revealed that his big chance came when he was at one of his lowest ebbs. He says, "Three months on a building site, got sacked on the Friday as the job had ended and that was it. I got p****d on the Friday and went and played football on the Saturday. My mum kicked me out the house and I got scouted to play for Walsall on that Saturday."
Deeney talks candidly on the Crouch podcast waxing lyrical on his life before the game, his stint in prison and his highs and lows on the pitch in what is a wide-ranging interview.
In his no-nonsense style, Deeney doesn't shy away from talking about the more difficult aspects of his life but laments that he probably had to grow up quicker than average kids. "I had a tough up-bringing but it was one of love and affection," he said. "But life circumstances meant I had to grow up a lot older than I probably should have."
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