Ex-Peterborough, Hull, Charlton, Bolton man Marcus Maddison eyes an exciting return to professional football, he said this week.
The 28 year-old has had a tough time of it lately, but after taking some time out since dropping out of the EFL 18 months ago because of mental health issues, he’s ready for a comeback.
He was on loan at Bolton Wanderers from Charlton Athletic at the time of stepping away, however complained of ‘abuse, pressure and monotony’ getting to him and that the football industry had left him ‘broken’ and losing love of the beautiful game.
View this post on Instagram
However, Maddison has since posted a photo via his personal Instagram on the 22nd of November, and it shows him doing a workout at a gym. He is currently contracted to Northern Premier League Midlands Division outfit Spalding United, but has been out of action recently due to a knee injury.
Maddison said: “After being out of the game due to injury and mental health, I’ve decided I want to go back.
“I need to get over my injury first. I’m working on my knee issues currently and come the new year I will really start to work on my fitness.
“I’m looking forward to the 2022-23 season wherever I end up.”
The ex-England C international caught everyone’s attention when signing for Peterborough from Gateshead in 2014 and went on to become a key player for the Posh, where he endured a five-and-a-half year spell at London Road and scored 62 goals in 249 games in all competitions.
Hull City then came calling and a move to the Championship was sealed in January 2020, however he couldn’t prevent the Tigers from relegation to League One.
He had further spells at Charlton and Bolton before he decided to call time on professional football.
Five days ago, also via Insta, he wrote: “It’s been a weird 6-7months living with my best mate all because I wasn’t allowed my OWN home back. But today me @ralph_tattoos & @colleenrichardson finished sorting my house, 2 days is an unbelievable turn around & we’ve all worked so hard 👏🏼 time to learn to look after myself again 😬 #home #friends #moving #house #living #alone #responsibility”
View this post on Instagram
Six month ago, Marcus Maddison explained why he walked away from the EFL and chose to play in England’s eighth tier in an honest interview with SPORTbible.
“It’s awful to say but I literally just wanted to take a picture of my car in a ditch, just to say I couldn’t make it in,” he said. “I just didn’t want to be there.”
“Every transfer window from joining in that September, they spoke about me leaving in December, and from that point, in every single window, there were rumours. But it never happened.”
Despite never getting a dream move further up the leagues he continued to impress and score goals, bringing in 62 in 249 appearances in a six year spell with the Posh. Over time, his passion for the game was disappearing. “The love for football probably hasn’t been there for a long time,” he admitted. “It has a job for maybe three or four years. It’s nice to come out of it, to be honest.”
On one Friday afternoon, Marcus Maddison was sitting in an upstairs bedroom of his Peterborough home, and downstairs, somebody was heard walking around.
After joining Hull City on loan for six months, he didn’t plan on coming back to Cambridgeshire, so Maddison let a friend and his family move in.
“Since making the decision to come back, I can’t ask him to leave because he’s got nowhere to go,” he tells SPORTbible over a Zoom call.
“It’s a decision I’ve made for myself. My decision shouldn’t affect him. So, this is my room. I can go wherever I want in the house, just living with people for the first time in a long time is a strange one. I’m 27 years old. I’m so used to living alone. I’ll get used to it.”
He expressed how he’s loving life right now, compared to the demands he endured as a footballer. “This is the longest time I’ve had off away from football,” Maddison says. “I can do what I want, when I want. I just got up at 1pm in the afternoon, because I don’t need to get up for anything in particular. It’s just nice not having rules and structure constantly at the minute.”
“I’ve always not enjoyed getting up and going to training. Some players love it, but really I don’t want to be there.
“I don’t see the point. That has never been the case for me. Saturday and Tuesday’s is what I live for.”
The ex-Newcastle United academy graduate has never been able to properly get used to the lifestyle of professional footballer. During his days at Peterborough, he used to eat an Indian takeaway on a Friday night ahead of a game.
He also ate a chicken tikka masala with rice and chips with a naan bread.
“I loved it,” he laughed. “It was my favourite. And it made no difference to my performance on a Saturday.”
See more of that interview by clicking HERE – he went on about his time and leaving Newcastle plus what a typical matchday was like for him.
Social media users reacted as the ex-Peterborough, Hull, Charlton, Bolton man eyes an exciting return to football…
@HarryBulleyment: Wasted talent
@Chicko19771: Hopefully nowhere near the Posh team.
charltonfc_news: Fair play madders im the one in your stream earlier btw ❤️
scotty.millz95: Love it madders 🔥 be soon banging them goals back in and showing them how it’s done 🔥
gillienorris: Stay focused and good luck 🤞 ⚽️ x
bpugh_10: Yes Marcus so happy for you can’t wait to see u back on the pitch 👏⚽️
lennons_dad_: That’s the spirit. You’ve got a fantastic talent. I have the utmost respect for you regarding speaking up about your mental state. That takes guts. It’s easy to hide, but you faced it well done! All the very best for the game. Work hard, the skies the limit. My Mrs said can you go and play for her home town club “South Shields”!!!! I said you’ll be aiming much higher…. Maybe when you’re 36!!😂😂😂 GOOD LUCK!!
neilmozmcgorrigan: 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🔥 one of the best wands in football
robjb86: You’d probably walk into the first team at POSH, JCH does and he hasn’t been fit for months 😂
deaniedean82: Good luck fella …. hope it works out for you and you get back to your very best 🔥🔥🔥
ben30030: Derby County pending. League 1 #MM11
kevingoodacre: Very best wishes and good luck 👏
bobbybarnesss: Back to p’boro 🔵🔵🔵
darrylmorris: You’d be welcome back at BWFC, I’m sure of that!
conortfc: Let’s go bro 👏👏👏👏 need to be back playing
dannyboy2505: Good luck Marcus. BWFC have quite the injury crisis 👀
itsmebecca___: Yes Marcus you’ve got this your time will come in football good to see you making a come back 😊
— 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 (@1904Irrelevants) November 23, 2021
You must be logged in to post a comment Login