KEIRON Cunningham invariably made sparks fly in his illustrious stint as a player, captain and coach of his hometown Saints team – but these days he is sorting out and despatching a different sort of wire.

The 43-year-old has opted for a career change away from rugby league after setting up an electrical wholesale business with his long-term friend Mark Daverin.

MK Electrical Supplies has been up and running since July on the business park a stone’s throw from the Totally Wicked Stadium, where the statue of the highly decorated Saints number nine looks down.

St Helens Star:

MK Electrical Supplies has been up and running since July on the business park a stone’s throw from the Totally Wicked Stadium

Although Cunningham was offered jobs in rugby after departing Saints and then finishing his role at Leigh, he wanted to move on, and is now relishing this changed role.

Cunningham explained: “I was not keen in getting back into rugby and wanted to do something completely different.

“The building trade has always been something that the family has been involved with and before going full time with Saints and I was a fully qualified double-glazing fitter, so this was a natural progression.

“My business partner Mark has been involved with electrical wholesaling for 27 years, as long as I have been involved with rugby.

“It is a new industry for me but it something I am picking up quickly. This has got a fire burning in my belly again and it is something that I enjoy.

St Helens Star:

Keiron is relishing the new challenge with his long-term friend Mark Daverin (Picture by Bernard Platt)

“I pretty much do everything – I am good with figures, so generally I am running the finance side of things, stock orders and goods in and out and delivering, plus doing the trade counter.

“We have a big clientele in St Helens and Widnes, but also Warrington and there are a lot of jibes, plenty remember my playing days and what we did to them in the last minute of nearly every game.

“It breaks the ice for me. Everyone is a rugby fan in this area – and it makes it easy to talk to people.”

Supporters will walk past his new premises, near the St Helens Chamber, on the walk from town to Saints, but that was not a deliberate bit of locating although it has come in handy.

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“I like the feel of the place. It is close to town for walk up trade or if people need advice electrical wise, we are here.

“I am enjoying every morning – coming to work with my best mate and making sure we get the right service out there and look after our customers.

“Saints are on board, too, and we did the big LED lighting stuff in the dressing room and tunnel last year.

“Both the chairman and Mike Rush have been around and been supportive.

“We just supplied them and Martin put it altogether at Saints and he’s brilliant at that,” Cunningham said.