The wife of a former Manchester United player has spoken out about some of the darker sides of fame and the WAG lifestyle.
Danielle Gibson, who is married to one of Wayne Rooney's former teammates, has claimed the trappings of wealth stopped her asking for help when she desperately needed it.
The mum-of-two has spent the last five years training to become a psychotherapist to help others who are struggling with their emotional or mental health, with plans to launch her own psychotherapy business.
Speaking at an event on International Women's Day in Manchester, Dannielle spoke honest and candidly about what it's like to be married to a professional footballer.
Dannielle first met husband Darron Gibson as a teenager, when the then-footballer moved from Derry, Ireland to Manchester to compete for a first team place at Manchester United.
The sports star enjoyed stints at several clubs in the top flight of English footballer throughout his career, but was often plagued with injuries - something Dannielle says put an emotional strain on their relationship.
"I felt like I didn’t have a right to complain, I didn't have a right to moan because I lived in a big house in Bowdon, my kids go to private school, so I didn't say anything to anybody, I just carried on," she explained at the event, according to Manchester Evening News.
"I felt like I couldn't tell anyone how difficult it was because I was rich, and rich people aren't supposed to have problems."
Danielle went on to point out that her normal, working class upbringing means that she has seen and experienced life from two perspectives.
"I've lived the lavish Cheshire lifestyle for 16 years - but I was born into a single parent family in Wythenshawe, with me and my sisters in a tenth floor flat watching my mum struggling up and down the stairs with shopping bags. I had a really simple life," Danielle said.
"But at the age of 16 I was catapulted into a new world, and everything that it brings. It's really important to say I'm so grateful to everything this life has given me. I have two kids in private school, I've flown around the world, I've had the absolute dream wedding.
She added: "But I want to use this platform to validate those experiences, it still feels tricky sat here in my designer outfit saying this, but I want to be honest and say that there have been years and years where I didn't feel thankful or grateful of any of it - I just wanted to be Danielle from Wythenshawe."
As Darron was recovering at home after an a horrific cruciate knee ligament on international duty, Dannielle explained how she and the professional footballer begun to notice nasty comments about his proneness to injury.
"It’s alright for us to sit here and say 'don’t read the comments' but when you’re in bed 23 hours a day, you’re going to read the comments," she recalled.
"So all I kept thinking was my mates' husbands don't have these problems, my mate's husband who is a builder goes to work, comes home and has his tea, job's a good 'un, my mate's boyfriend who works in a call centre doesn't get verbally attacked like this.
"I didn’t feel like I could tell anyone how difficult life was feeling. So I put up and shut up."
Dannielle claims the turning point for her came when Darron crashed his car on the way to training and was found to be over the drink drive limit, for which he went on to receive a community service order in 2018.
The mum-of-two explained how this made her realise she needed to "ultimately save [her] family" and take back control of her life - training to become a qualified therapist.
"My husband is more than the number on the back of his football shirt. And now here we are four years later and I'm a qualified therapist," she concluded with
Darron retired from professional football last tear, which Danielle describes as a "massive relief" but says: "I'm just a very proud wife for everything that he has achieved in his career."
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