Former Hearts striker Ryan Stevenson has revealed how leaving full-time football drove him to the brink of suicide.
The 38-year-old has opened his heart on his fight with what he calls “football’s dark secret” and candidly admitted he had even chosen a date to end his life. Stevenson was struck by former Dundee and Ross County striker Sean Higgins’ brutally honest account in Monday’s Daily Record of a booze battle that struck after his own full-time days came to an end a decade ago.
He has backed calls for more awareness and support for professionals struggling with life after the game. Higgins, also 38, reckons the struggle to adapt and fill the sudden void in their lives continues to affect players up and down the country but with too many staying silent on their troubles. Stevenson, whose career started at 12 when he left Ayrshire for London and Chelsea’s youth academy, had a top career with two spells at Hearts as well as St Johnstone, Ipswich and Ayr United before going part-time after leaving Raith Rovers aged 32 in 2017.
