Keith Curle: “Honesty is now middle name”

 “Living an honest life now without alcohol is fantastic.”

In this exclusive podcast interview, Jonathan Edgeley, CEO and Founder of Montrose Health Group, sits down with football legend Keith Curle. Renowned for his leadership on the pitch and his candid approach off it—both as a player and manager—Keith opens up about his personal journey to sobriety, overcoming rejection, and offers valuable advice for young players striving to make their mark in the football world.

The Beginning

Keith Curle’s career spans multiple generations, beginning with his debut at Bristol Rovers in August 1981. While primarily known as a centre-defender, few know that he started his career as a right winger. Over the years, Keith played for several clubs, including Sheffield United, Manchester City, and Wimbledon, and even enjoyed a brief stint with the England national team. He most recently managed Hartlepool. And just like that, 40 years of football can be summed up in 30 seconds.

Celebrating 11 years of sobriety this year, we had the privilege of welcoming Keith into our podcast studio to discuss his personal journey with alcohol, his path to sobriety, and to offer valuable advice to aspiring young players.

Keith began by reflecting on his early career, sharing how it started with rejection. He recalls one manager saying “in their opinion he wouldn’t have a professional career, based on his ability and the squad around him”. Keith proved them all wrong. He admits that luck played a part in his success. At 16, he played for a team a year younger, scoring 7 goals in a trial game, which led to an apprenticeship offer. His determination and grit were undeniable.

Keith started his career as a right winger, admitting that he never thought he’d become the defender he's now so well known for. He also built a notable managerial career, but despite all his achievements, he remains remarkably humble.

When describing Keith Curle, words like determination, drive, and exemplary leadership come to mind. “the hardest thing is when you got to tell players that you're letting them go because you know the other players break down and cry in front of me,” he shares. “I always told them use it as motivation to move forward, because football is all about opinions."

Keith’s Struggle with Alcohol

Keith opened up about his battles with alcohol, revealing how he’d make excuses such as needing a drink to sleep better or blaming his environment, saying, “I was in a strange bed.”

He later shared the pivotal moment when he decided to stop drinking. “I needed to be the person I knew I could be,” he said. He recalled waking up with “someone he shouldn’t have”—a powerful wake-up call that led him to realize the extent of his problem. “You're creating a deception for other people to try and gain acceptance for what you're doing” he reflected.

Keith thoughtfully shared his experience in rehab at the age of 50. “I spent 28 days in a clinic. At first, I was lying to myself, thinking, ‘What am I doing here?’” Initially, “I kept telling myself, ‘I’m not an alcoholic, I’m not dependent on alcohol.’” But as he spent more time reflecting, he came to understand that it wasn’t just a label—it was a lifestyle.

At 62, Keith looks back and admits that he was a functional alcoholic. He could still manage daily tasks like the school run or focusing on his career, but deep down, he knew he was running from the person he truly wanted to be. “I could still train, I could still play, I could still do the school run. I was the last man standing, but I realized I’d created a way to drink without people noticing... I’d just go quiet,” he said.

The Turning Point

Keith stayed with his son in Manchester for a month but didn’t want to leave the 4 walls of the flat due to temptation of alcohol outside. “I can’t live my life like this,” he decided, reaching out to the PFA and LMA for help. He praised their response, saying they were “excellent” and arranged for him to attend an assessment in London before booking him into a clinic in Manchester. The night before entering rehab, Keith made the conscious decision to not drink, reflecting, “Why would I want my last drink? I hadn’t had one in a month anyway.” He knew he had to make this work.

He added, “I didn’t wake up and have alcohol with breakfast. I wasn’t pouring vodka on my cornflakes or anything like that.” His vision of someone with an alcohol problem was "was with somebody sitting on a park bench drinking out the brown paper bag." - After 10 days in the clinic this vision shifted and he begun to understand his relationship with alcohol better

Keith explained that through counselling, he learned that dependency on alcohol isn’t just about the volume consumed. “If you have one glass of wine a day, and your entire routine revolves around it—if you miss that glass, it can set you on a different tangent—that’s a dependency,” he explained. “It’s not about the volume, it’s about the craving and the need for social acceptance that comes with drinking.”

Off the Field

Outside of football, Keith enjoys spending time with his family, including his five grandchildren, who are scattered across Manchester, Dubai, and Sheffield. He also enjoys golf and paddle. He cherishes that his grandchildren don’t know about his past struggles or football career—they just know him as ‘Pops.’

When asked about his feelings on people drinking around him, Keith responded, “I don’t mind people drinking around me. I just don’t like people getting drunk around me. I move away from it. I’ve accepted that alcohol is part of some people’s lives, but they can handle it. If someone can have one pint every three weeks or so, that’s fine.”

Keith explained that he didn’t have an “off button” when he drank. “When I went out, I went out. I’d stay out, drinking halves and shorts in an attempt to hide the problem,” he admitted. Jonathan asked, “Does that ‘off button’ ever pop up in your life now?” Keith responded, “Not really. No, not really. I don't think I do anything to excess. I do some stupid things. I start decorating at nine o'clock at night and things like that because I have an active mind,.”

Keith is often asked how he’s managed to stay sober, and he simply answers, “I have a fear of ever having to drink again. It’s not the alcohol I fear—it’s the fear of not being the person I want to be every day.”

Advising the Next Generation

When talking about the next generation of footballers, Keith notes, “Today’s footballers face distractions they don’t even realize are distractions—especially with their mobile phones.” He’s also observed that younger players find it hard to express their ambitions clearly.

Keith says he can easily spot someone he thinks may have an issue with alcohol, but he emphasizes that “they have to want to talk. They have to be ready to open up.” He shared a personal story about his brother, who is an alcoholic, advising him, “You need to speak to me when you’re sober. Then I can help you.”

Keith closed with a powerful message: “Everyone who has issues has a time when honesty creeps in. That’s when you need to reach out. Speak up, ask questions, and get help.”

• Keith Curle

  
  

Podcast Interview Hosted by Founder and CEO, Jonathan Edgeley

Written by Sophie Horn