Darby and Houghton on MND, retirement and 'not wasting time'

Former Liverpool and Bradford City footballer Stephen Darby, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2018, says he tells his family not to "waste time" and "enjoy what we have now".

The 35-year-old appears as a guest, alongside his wife – former England and Manchester City captain Steph Houghton - on series two of award-winning podcast "Rob Burrow Seven, Meets...".

The series is presented by former rugby league great, Rob Burrow, who himself was diagnosed with MND in late 2019. Episodes were recorded before Burrow died in June, aged 41, and are available now on BBC Sounds, on what would have been the former Leeds Rhinos player's 42nd birthday.

MND is a degenerative condition that affects how nerves in the brain and spinal cord function. There is currently no cure.

Before he passed away, Burrow was awarded a CBE in the New Year's Honours List earlier this year, alongside friend and former team-mate Kevin Sinfield, in acknowledgement of their fundraising and campaigning around MND.

Darby praised Burrow and his wife Lindsey for "turning this MND diagnosis into a positive".

With his own playing career cut short at the age of 29, Darby said he would like his own legacy to be "to carry on the fight" and added: "I'd like to think we are doing everything we can to leave MND in a better place."

In March, Darby completed a 178-mile march in aid of people with MND.

When Houghton announced she would retire at the end of last season, leaving the game as Manchester City's most decorated player, she cited a desire to spend more time with her family. The 36-year-old former defender spoke on the podcast about wanting to have children.

Other guests on the returning podcast series include former multiple world champion boxer Ricky Hatton, England's second most successful bowler Stuart Broad and former Rhinos captain Sinfield.

Houghton and Darby married in 2018, just months before his MND diagnosis. The former Lioness told the podcast their relationship was "love at first sight".

She recalls how they were brought together by a meeting arranged by Houghton's agent. Her first impression of the former England Under-19 defender was that he "smelled amazing" - and joked he must have put "the whole bottle" of aftershave on.

Meanwhile, Darby remembers he had to buy new clothes before the meeting and only realised when he got home that he still had a sticky tag on the back of his jeans.

The couple both reflect on Darby's initial symptoms and diagnosis during the podcast.

He says his first symptoms were weakness in his right arm and hand.

"I knew I wasn't as strong," says the former full-back, whose career ended in 2018 after three Championship appearances with Bolton. "From my first symptoms to when I was diagnosed, it took 21 months, so I was still playing football."

Houghton admits she had "never heard of MND before Stephen got diagnosed" and recalls asking "why us?" and feeling "upset and angry".

She says the fact there is currently no cure for the disease can leave partners feeling "helpless".

However, Houghton adds her Liverpool-born husband has been "amazing throughout this whole thing", and the pair have tried hard to "live a normal life".

Houghton retired this summer having played 241 games for City and having won eight major trophies with the club - four Continental Cups, three Women's FA Cups and the FA Women's Super League title in 2016.

She also won two WSL titles with Arsenal in 2011 and 2012, as well as helping the Gunners to five cup victories.

Following her retirement, Houghton told the podcast she hopes to continue with punditry. "I love talking about football as much as I possibly can," she says.

Throughout the season, she will be bringing her insights to Match of the Day, Football Focus and BBC Radio 5 Live.

The couple also reveal they have spoken about the idea of starting a family.

"Hopefully that can happen sooner or later," says Houghton. "I think it's hard when you're a female doing a sport and you have to sacrifice so much to do that. To be able to have that option of starting a family is definitely what we've spoken about the last few years."

Houghton will be one of the pundits on BBC Two when Manchester City face Brighton in the WSL on Sunday 29, September, from 12:15 BST.