NORTHERN IRELAND
Kyle Lafferty has paid tribute to mentor John Hartson for helping him on the road to recovery with his gambling problem.
Northern Ireland and Hearts striker Lafferty says coming clean about his addiction in September lifted a weight from his shoulders. Now he’s looking to the future with confidence with the former Wales and Celtic hitman by his side. Hartson once confessed he’d owed more than £300,000 to the bookies after his gambling ran out of control. But he has been clean for years and now he’s helping Lafferty stay on the right path. The pair have gone to meetings of Gambl e r s A nonymou s together and Har t s on is always at the end of a phone i f he needs support. It has turned him around and he ha s a smile on his face again as he prepares for tonight’s critical World Cup play-off with Switzerland. M ic h a e l O’Neill’s men have it all to do after losing the first-leg 1- 0 in B e l f a s t on Thursday night after the Swiss were awarded a dodgy penalty.
But asked if it was a rel ief to f inally bear his soul, Lafferty said: “It was at a time in my career that I had to do it. It got to a stage where I was lying about what I was doing.
“There had to be a time when I stopped it and got help or let my career go downhill. “I’ve been asked if it affected my football and I can’t say if it did or didn’t.
“There has been no part of me being a professional footballer that I’ve had a time when I haven’t gambled or had an addiction.
“Since speaking about it, though, I have scored five in eight games so obviously it has helped me.
“It has been a massive weight of my shoulders and I’m now playing football with a smile on my face.
“I was at a GA meeting last week with John Hartson.
“One guy picked up his 35-year pin. He’d gone to every single meeting in that time – twice a week. I spoke to him after and said to him ‘ Why so long?’ He said ‘ You just need to do it’.
“Another guy said ‘When you think you are over it that’s when there is a chance you could fall back in.’
“You need as much help as you can and there are lots of people who are helping me. Speaking to John made me feel better. He has been superb and texts me non-stop.
“It’s good I have good people who have been through it.
“The relationship with John was through Hearts coach Austin MacPhee. He asked me if I would like to speak to John and I jumped at the chance.
“John has come out in public and said the addiction is frightening.
“He has blamed a lot of things that have happened to him on the stress of gambling.
“No one knows how stressful it is unless you are in that environment and you have that addiction. I was embarrassed to come out at first.
“I was afraid people would judge me or look down on me.
“Of course, I know there will be some people who want me to fail.
“But I’ve finally got my mind in the right place and I’m not going to let anyone else jump on the bandwagon and slag me off. I’m going to do this for my family and myself.”
Hartson even offered to take Lafferty to his first GA meeting – but in the end the Jambos hitman had to take that first step himself.
He said: “John said he would take me to the first meeting but I was away and he was doing commentary for BT in the Champions League. It had been two weeks since I spoke out and nothing had happened so I Googled a meeting in Glasgow and went along myself.
“I was absolutely bricking it because I didn’t know what to expect. I went in and listened and took everything on board.
“Now I go once a week and do other things as well. I’ve been to a driving range and I’m learning golf.
“My father-in-law plays and my two brothers-in-law are keen golfers. I’m actually not bad and I’m willing to do anything as long as it gets me away from being at home by myself.
“There is a bookies around the corner so I’d rather be in a bunker for half a day than be in the bookies.”
Lafferty is conscious he is now something of a spokesperson for players with a gambling addiction.
He warns that betting is rife within the game. He wants the SFA to look into the situation and volunteered to help any other player who feels he is in over his head.
Lafferty said: “To gamble you need time and money – and footballers have both. You finish training at 1.30pm at the latest and have all af ternoon and al l evening to yourself. “Then everywhere you look in Scotland it’s the William Hill Cup, the Ladbrokes Premier League and you are playing a game and Bet365 is going around advertising boards and stuff like that.
“No matter what app you put up on your phone there is something to do with betting like live scores.
“You can’t get away from it. It’s money. And the SPFL get money from bookies who advertise.
“Everywhere you look there is something to do with betting.
“People need to look at the situation. It is difficult for the players in that environment. If you have a problem it is difficult to get away from it – that’s why I’ve taken up golf.
“You have to be brave and get help but it is hard. For 11 years only my close pals and team-mates knew about my problem. And probably they didn’t know its extent.
“I haven’t spoken out to get sympathy – I want to get over it.
“Hopefully I can help many more footballers and fans or whoever else needs help. I’d help them like John Hartson has helped me.” the team be successful and to get us in a position where we should be.
“I really don’t think I would have come out with this if I had been at any other club.
“I absolutely love it there, the team, the lads, the club. They have been so good to me and supported me through a lot of things.
“Would I finish my career there?
“If the opportunity came up and things were right for both of us, I would love to because the fans are passionate and I’m putting in 110 per cent in every game and they know they are going to get my all from me.
“I’m enjoying training every day and enjoying being involved every weekend and I haven’t had that feeling for three years.”
And Lafferty also praised former Wales striker Hartson for stepping in to help him.
He said: “Austin asked me if I would like to speak to John and I jumped at the chance. I was at a GA meeting last week with John. He’s been superb and texts me non-stop.”