Ex-Nottingham Forest and QPR star retired at 31 - He's now made millions with his business | OneFootball

Dexter Blackstock gave up football to fulfil a life in the boardroom, and is now reaping the rewards

Dexter Blackstock made his name as regular goal-getter for Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest during his footballing career, with the frontman becoming something of a mainstay in the second tier during his 20s.

After coming up through the ranks at Oxford United, the forward initially made his name at Southampton, before playing in 351 league games across seven different clubs, before calling it a day at just 31 years of age.

While many players elongate their careers to avoid the unknown territory of retirement, Blackstock embraced life after football with both hands, and is now making millions in the business world.

The CEO of two separate companies, the former frontman has gone from lone striker to deal striker after switching the dressing room for the boardroom, and seems to be loving every second.

Dexter Blackstock’s career in the EFL with QPR, Nottingham Forest, Southampton

Blackstock made his bow at St Mary’s as a teenager back in 2004, with a goal against local rivals Portsmouth while still an 18-year-old immediately endearing him to the Saints fans.

Loan spells at Plymouth Argyle and Derby County followed as he continued to try and make his way in the game, before a move to Loftus Road came in the summer of 2006, a place he would become something of a cult hero.

After hitting double figures in two of the three seasons he was at QPR, Blackstock established quite the reputation during his time with the Hoops, with a stupendous volley against Preston North End in the 06/07 campaign still spoken about by R’s fans to this day.

Nottingham Forest were next on the list, and that is where he would go on to play the majority of his games in the EFL, with 170 league matches under his belt for the Tricky Trees, and 43 Championship goals across his seven years with the club.

Leeds United and Rotherham United were also brief stop-offs later in his career, but by 31 he had decided to hang up his boots for good, with a whole new career ready and waiting away from the pitch.

Dexter Blackstock’s new career in business that is making him millions

Since retiring, Blackstock has been the CEO of MediConnect - a blockchain solution intended to revolutionise the use of medication in the UK - as well as Wiremit, which focuses on international remittance.

It is a far cry from being bemoaned by the City Ground for missing a sitter, but Blackstock admits to loving life away from the pitch, when speaking to The Sun about his new pursuit back in 2023.

“I had lost my mojo and I had no intention of carrying on playing football. I wasn’t enjoying playing at Rotherham.

“I had 14 great years as a professional footballer, played nearly 400 games and scored almost 100 goals.

“Via a good friend in the pharmaceutical industry, for the last four or five years it has been one of the major pursuits in my life to eradicate the huge dangers with the over prescription of drugs.

“As it stands, there is nothing to stop anyone ordering drugs from one online pharmacy, then exactly the same with another company and then going down to their local GP and topping up with the same.

“The GP has no idea you have already ordered the same prescription elsewhere. “Our white paper identifies the need to prevent patients ordering prescriptions with multiple pharmacies.”

It is a novel thing that Blackstock is doing, and the former striker seems to be revelling in a life more fulfilled than headers and volleys, and people living their life by your actions on the pitch.

With a reported net worth of £7.8 million, the 38-year-old isn’t doing too badly for himself either, with a strong property portfolio established from the age of 18 also helping him sustain a living.

It goes to show that there is life after football for any player, and while Blackstock can reminisce on wonder strikes scored in the past, he has bigger goals to aim towards as life his life goes on.