Where are they now: Adam Muir

The history of the nib Newcastle Knights is kept alive by the many men who pulled on the red and blue jersey since the Club's inaugural year in 1988. 

Knights TV has tracked down some of the best through the years to see where they are now and what their lives look like after footy. 

The boy from Belmont, Adam Muir, started with the Knights in 1990 and played a memorable eight years in the red and blue. 

He topped off his final year with the 1997 grand final victory and in 2007 was named in the Newcastle Knights team of the era. 

"I have been in touch with the Knights since I was about 18 until I was 25 and had a lot of good friends and a lot of good years there," Muir explained. 

"There has been a lot of fond memories and I was lucky enough to come right through the grades with a few of the good players, like Matty Johns in particular, played 19s, 21s and then Reserve Grade. 

"That was lucky enough to culminate in the grand final win in 1997." 

Muir admits the 97' premiership was a memory he'll forever have etched in his memory. 

"Every time I see a snippet of Darren Albert going over, to this day it gets the hairs standing up on my arms and it was a really special moment," Muir added. 

"It was something we built; that team was together for a long period, the core group of that team was together for five or six years and we hung in there. 

"There were some tough times but, in the end, if you work hard enough, and everyone is dedicated to that one win, it can happen." 

In his early days of playing football, the former Knights forward started an apprenticeship. 

"I did do an apprenticeship in my early years of playing 21s and Reserve Grade, so I did have to work," he said. 

"Once I finished that apprenticeship when I was 20 years old, I was lucky enough to not work and just play professional football for 12 years. 

"You don't know how lucky you are, and I said to the players these days it's over before you know it, and it's a great lifestyle. 

"You train very hard and you only get six or six weeks off a year but you're hanging around with all your best mates and you're playing football, it is really a dream come true." 

Early into his 30s Muir decided to hang up the boots and start his career outside of football. 

"I played for South Sydney and I think I was 31, my body had enough, and a lot of people do struggle going from football, and then went into the real working world," Muir stated. 

"I was pretty happy with my career, so I was ready to retire. 

"I pretty much went straight in to work, I bought a transport business which happened to be beer, which was up to the Kurri area so there's some pretty thirsty people up there. 

"After I had enough of that, a good friend of mine helped me get into the mining industry and that's where I have been ever since." 

Muir maintains he has been thankful for his start in mining and to this day continues to love working in the industry. 

"I was lucky enough to get a start with VLI, Valley Longwall international, and they contracted pits all through NSW and QLD," Muir said. 

"The main thing they do is gas draining or de-watering because in the pits these days they're not allowed to mine until they find out what's in the coal; big pockets of gas and big pockets of water. 

"I've been doing that for eight years now and it's a really good industry and I don't mind the job too. 

"The Hunter has always been synonymous with the coal industry and still a lot of the players that retire go there. 

"It's a really good industry and a really good thing for Newcastle." 

Muir said he'll definitely be cheering on the red and blue come Voice for Mining Family Day this Saturday and believes they'll be a massive presence. 

"I've heard the boys at work talking about it and they will get a really big crowd and the support the Knights have got is huge," stated Muir. 

Meanwhile Muir continues to be heavily involved with the Old Boys and feels the Club has bright times ahead. 

"They've signed some really good players and they're doing a really good job," he maintained. 

"Adding a few players, like Mitchell Pearce was probably the big one... it was just a bad thing for him to get injured.