Partner pays tribute to 'unique and selfless' Sheffield football coach Steve Adams

The partner of a beloved Sheffield football coach, who was dedicated to the children he trained until the very end, has paid tribute to the 'unique and selfless' 57-year-old.
Steve Adams bravely battled terminal cancer for five years before he passed away on FridaySteve Adams bravely battled terminal cancer for five years before he passed away on Friday
Steve Adams bravely battled terminal cancer for five years before he passed away on Friday

Steve Adams bravely battled terminal cancer for five years before he passed away on Friday, but his partner Helen Moxon says it was hard to believe he was going through so much due to the way he 'carried on as normal'.

"He just got on with it," said Helen, of Chapeltown.

The 55-year-old added: "In the early stages no-one really knew. But because of the type of person Steve was, that's what he wanted. He didn't want anyone to worry about him. He felt there was no reason to trouble anyone, and especially didn't want to worry the children that he trained."

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Steve began his career in football as a professional footballer playing for teams including Doncaster Rovers during the 1980s; before becoming a football coach with the Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Community Programme and through his own Tricky Wingers coaching business.

Even when Steve was forced to give up his driving license due to the cancer spreading to his brain during the later part of his illness, the dad-of-one refused to give up his coaching commitments and would 'drag a bag of 12 footballs on buses half way across Sheffield,' explained Helen.

She said: "He didn't want to let anyone down.

"But it was his work that kept him going through his illness. His love for his job never wavered, not even for a second, even through his illness."

And in an ironic twist of fate, Steve gave a final nod to the beautiful game by passing away at 3.30pm - at kick-off time.

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Helen said: "He would have found that funny, he had such a great sense of humour."

Commenting on the type of person Steve was, Helen told The Star: "Steve was a force of nature. He was a completely unique person.

"The first night I met Steve in town his friends told me he 'goes 100 miles an hour'. And that's completely right.

"Everything he did, he did to the best of his ability. He never did anything by half-measures. If he decided on something, that was it then, he'd give it his everything.

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"Once you met Steve, you never forgot him, he had so much enthusiasm. He was like a human dynamo, he couldn't still, always wanting to get on to the next piece of work.

"He really didn't care about himself, he was all about other people. That's how he lived his life, selflessly."

Since news of Steve's passing was confirmed this weekend, scores of people from across the city's footballing community have paid tribute to the beloved coach on social media.

"It has given me a massive amount of comfort to know how much he was loved. It's been amazing to see how many people in the wider community cared about him," said Helen.

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Steve leaves behind Helen, his 21-year-old daughter Gracie Adams, sister Christine Ali, nephew Mark Ali and his wife Karen Ali.

Gracie has set up a tribute page to her dad, where people are being encouraged to leave their favourite memories of Steve which you can visit here.

Details of Steve's funeral have not yet been announced, but Helen says they will be announced through The Star and on social media towards the end of next week.