Winger May joined the Falcons academy from Richmond, where he had spent a year playing for their second team and Under-21s after finishing from Tonbridge School.
He took up the game after watching his dad Alan playing for the Old Alleynians club in London, and played centre for the same England Schools team as Jonny Wilkinson, before going on to earn Under-21s, Sevens and ‘A’ honours at international level.
Originally an inside centre, May made his competitive Falcons debut in March 1999 against Northampton, having previously featured in a friendly against Cardiff and two Cheltenham and Gloucester Cup ties.
At the age of only 19 he started for the Falcons in the Tetley’s Bitter Cup final at Twickenham as his side ultimately lost out to London Wasps.
In 2001 he was to enjoy better fortune as he scored two spectacular tries in the Tetley’s Bitter Cup final victory over NEC Harlequins, while he also started in the 2004 Powergen Cup final win over Sale Sharks.
The arrival of All Black centre Mark Mayerhofler in 2002 saw May reluctantly change positions to the wing, but he proved a major success in his new wide role, being among the Premiership’s top try scorers in the 2003/4 campaign.
The 2004/5 season saw the Londoner score seven tries as he started 30 of the club’s 31 competitive games that year, and came on from the bench in the other match.
He even added a goal kicking string to his bow through necessity that season, when a shortage of kickers saw him step up to the plate with great success, missing only one attempt at goal in three matches.
Off the field, May studied for a business management degree from Newcastle University, before going on to do a masters in sports management at Northumbria University, for which he studied part time alongside his rugby commitments.
He used those sports management credentials to good effect by masterminding the inaugural Newcastle Festival of Rugby in May 2006 alongside former team mate Martin Shaw, with the hugely successful event now firmly inked in to the north-east sporting calendar.
School/university: Tonbridge School, Newcastle AND Northumbria Universities!
Previous clubs: Sevenoaks, Richmond
Nicknames: The Mule, Dwarf, Scuba Steve, Gatesy
Favourite TV show: 24, motorbike programmes
Favourite film: The Bourne trilogy
Favourite music: U2, Hed Kandi
Favourite book: Richard Branson’s autobiography
Favourite food: Roast chicken, roast potatoes and veg
Most like to meet: Bono
Least like to meet: Gordon Brown, Jodi Marsh, Charlie from Big Brother
Best moment in rugby: Winning the Cup twice with the Falcons
Best moment outside of rugby: My wedding
Favourite place to visit: Anywhere I can lie in the sun
Team-mate least like to share a room with and why: Forwards, they’re smelly and snore
I love: Doing well playing golf, U2 concerts, Grindal’s wobbly eye
I hate: Old people driving
