Sponsored by
Hotshot Defty happy with Linnets lifestyle
King's Lynn Town FC player Jack Defty at home with his wife Karla and 13 month old daughter Everleigh
A GLITZY lifestyle, a high-performance car and a huge wage packet must be at the top of every footballers wish list?
Not for Linnets striker Jack Defty, who wouldn’t swap anything in his current life for a place in football’s top flight.
A relaxed Defty, 30, slid back into his sofa at his home, with his wife Karla and daughter Everleigh close by his side.
Just a stone’s throw from the football club where he has made such an impact in the last ten years, the player dubbed ‘Big Jack’ reflected on life, both on and off the football pitch.
In that time, the durable centre forward has notched 150 goals in 386 appearances for his hometown club to become a high-profile star in his own right.
Although The Walks may seem a million miles away from the dizzy heights of the Premier League, Defty said: “It would be great to have that sort of money and lifestyle, but I have always been happy with what I have got.
“I don’t envy people who earn more than me – I’m happy with the life I have.”
While maverick Manchester City frontman Mario Balotelli likes to let off fireworks in his house, Defty prefers to produce his sparks on the pitch, although he does admire the feisty Italian.
Defty said: “I like Mario Balotelli. I do think he has a terrible attitude, but he is a breath of fresh air and a bit of a bad boy.
“He’s never short of a talking point or two and he’s in a slightly different league to me.”
Although he has never modelled himself on any one footballer, Defty said: “I have always likened myself to Alan Shearer because of his strength.
“I think his game is not too dissimilar to mine really, although some people might say that I am a bigger sort of targetman.”
A sub-contractor for erecting coldstores, Defty has no regrets about not making the step up to league football.
“As a youngster you always dream about being a Premier League footballer, but I fell into Lynn and I have really loved playing for them,” said Defty.
“I always thought that if I had pushed myself a bit harder then maybe I could have got a bit further.”
Combining his love for the game with both work and family life hasn’t always been easy, but Defty has always found a way to do all three.
He said: “It’s not too hard balancing family life with work and football. I don’t spend too much time away, only a couple of nights a week at worst.
“It gives me a lot more time to spend with Karla and Everleigh and they get to come and watch me at home games and my employers are quite understanding.
“When I played at Corby there was too much travelling.
“It was difficult because I was working away most of the time. In midweek you would have to leave work early and travel to the game. You wouldn’t get back home until stupid o’clock and then you had to be up early for work the next day.”
Defty’s wife Karla said: “I try to go as much as possible but it has been like that since I met Jack ten years ago.
“I would say his dad is his biggest fan, but I’m a close second.”
Defty’s dad Trevor has undoubtedly had the biggest influence on his career.
“Ever since primary school my dad has helped me,” revealed the striker.
“He has taken me wherever I’ve needed to go and there aren’t many games that he has missed, regardless of what team I was playing for.
“He has been a great support but he is also my biggest critic and will give me his honest opinion of how I performed.”
Other than a season in the Blue Square North with Corby, Defty has Lynn in his blood and his decision to return to the club in the summer of 2010 raised a few eyebrows.
“Signing was a no-brainer for me,” admitted Defty, now 35 goals away from overtaking Keith Rudd on the list of Lynn’s all-time top scorers, headed by Malcolm Lindsay.
“I was worried at first because it was a new team and you never knew how it was going to go. However, I really enjoy playing for Lynn and with the lads. It is a privilege to play for your home town and it is a great club.
“It would be nice to end my career here. I want to get promoted this season so that we can play a better standard of football. I think as long as I keep myself in reasonably good shape then I can play for another few years.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for King's Lynn
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
