‘It was game over for me’

BRIAN Lyndsay (23) was living the high life working hard (and partying harder) in Ibiza.

But his life changed dramatically when his passport, wallet and suitcase were stolen from his room, leaving him forced to move back to Belfast as he could not work undocumented.

He said: “When I was out there in Ibiza I was living on cloud nine and from one day to the next that was it. But then it was just game over for me.

“So I had to move back and I came with nothing. I couldn’t get benefits, couldn’t have a hostel, couldn’t live anywhere. I’m not in contact with my family so it was really hard for me.

“I have never felt like that where everything and everyone just turned their backs on me because once one thing goes wrong, it’s like a snowball effect and it’s hard to get back on track.”

But he saw an advert for Street Soccer and found football took his mind off his problems as well as helped him pull his life back together. “I’m not Protestant or Catholic or anything. Football’s my religion,” he said.

The centre midfielder and Arsenal fan now has a passport, benefits and lives in a hostel.

Looking to the future, he added: “By trade I’m a barman, so coming up to Christmas it should be easy for me to get a job.

“So straight back into work and then hopefully get housed and stuff like that and then just follow on with the football.”