Stewart's Soccer Love Stood In The Way Of Drugs

Veteran rocker Rod Stewart credits his passion for playing soccer with curbing his cocaine use as a younger man.

The MAGGIE MAY hitmaker, unlike many of his contemporaries including his former Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood, never reached the point of needing rehabilition, because he didn't like the effect taking drugs had on playing sport.

Stewart, 60, says, "I'd have a little line and find that nine times out of 10 I couldn't do any sports.

"I'd think, 'Can't go mad Saturday night because I'm playing football on Sunday morning.'

"Football has always been a huge part of my life. I love it.

"So it (drugs) was never for me."