Prem stars can’t cope without footie
MORE than one in three footballers battle depression when they hang up their boots.
The figure is three times the national average as stars struggle to replace the thrill of the game.
Two out of every five Premier League players also face bankruptcy within five years of retiring as they battle with everyday life.
And a third of them divorce within 12 months of packing in. The number jumps to 75% three years after their final match.
Former England defender Viv Anderson, chief executive of new initiative PlayOn which helps sports stars when they quit, said: “When their playing ® careers are over it can often be a huge shock to the system for former elite athletes.
“Not only do they have to adjust to life outside of the game but they also have to adapt their finances according to their new life.”
He added: “As the statistics show it’s often an uneasy transition, sometimes traumatic and in the worst cases life-threatening.
“One of the biggest challenges is coping without the kind of camaraderie sports stars enjoy throughout their career.”
A number of high-profile footballers have struggled after playing their final game. Troubled former England hero Paul Gascoigne admits he can “hardly watch” games as he wishes he was still playing.
Clarke Carlisle suffered depression throughout his playing days and stepped in front of a lorry after quitting the game aged 34. He survived and now campaigns about mental illness.
And former Leeds star and Wales boss Gary Speed took his own life in 2011. Depression was said to be a factor.
Lord Davies, chairman of PlayOn said: “The PlayOn concept has scale to extend to other sports such as cricket, rugby, athletics, boxing and basketball, as well as major football leagues across Europe.
“It is a brilliant, innovative project for which I am honoured to act as chairman.”