Jason McAteer was in tears as he bravely talks about his mental health struggles and suicidal thoughts following retirement from football.
In a candid discussion, the 53-year-old broke down in tears as he described the profound challenges he faced adjusting to life after football.
McAteer revealed that the end of his career left him grappling with depression, saying he he ‘had no purpose’ and was close to ending it.
There was a period he found particularly difficult, speaking about how the transition from the structured, high-energy world of professional sports to an uncertain future stripped him of his identity and routine, leading to a dark phase where he felt he “had no purpose.”
š āPeople donāt understand where the void can take youā¦ā@MCATEER4 speaks with @IamMSilvestre about the mental toll retirement can take on a professional footballer.
Watch the #TalesTearsTrophies podcast:
š https://t.co/loscY8VoXb#LFC pic.twitter.com/gUnPzB6SE8ā beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) March 3, 2025
Speaking to Mikael Silvestre on the latest episode of beIN SPORTS’ Tales, Tears and Trophies podcast, the ex-Republic of Ireland international said: “I just had no purpose, mate, it was no structure.
“The TV stuff, I mean I wasn’t working every day of the week. It would be like maybe one show a week or maybe two shows a week. It was very sporadic. Days and days and days with nothing to do, yeah.
“And I got to the tunnel, that tunnel between the Wirral and Liverpool. My child, who I was keeping this relationship with under difficult circumstances, lived on the other side of this tunnel.
“And I was driving through the tunnel, and it upsets me, because it takes me back to this moment because I can feel it. And as you go out the daylight into the tunnel light, it’s like this kind of light.
“I remember thinking to myself, I’m just going to swing the car here and just end it. That’s how easy it is. And I was fighting myself not to do it, fighting going ‘do it, do it, do it, do it do it’.
“And I’d be like, ‘no’. ‘Do it’. ‘No’. And I’d be fighting the steering wheel and I remember coming towards the end of the tunnel and it was like the daylight was opening up.
“And I remember coming out the tunnel thinking ‘thank God, just thank God’. And I went to get my little boy, because I always used to take him to the pictures. I took him to the pictures and I drove home.
“I got to my mum’s. My mum lived 10 minutes around the corner and I knocked on a door and I remember just saying, ‘I can’t do it anymore. That’s it, that’s it’. And I was just at that point.”
He broke down saying, “Oh man, it was tough. Just like everything had gone… I don’t half miss it. I miss… I miss everything about playing. I miss it. Yeah, I just miss it. Just like running, just running out, just running out, just free on a footy pitch. No problems.”
McAteer also talked about his battle with depression in his 2017 autobiography ‘Blood, Sweat & Jason McAteer’, where he urged governing bodies to support retired players more as they adapt to a new life without football.
He added: ‘The evolution of football, not just football on the pitch and the business side of things, but the mental side of it as well. It has to improve.
‘It is slowly but surely getting there and the stigma is being broken down, but I think people find it difficult to understand the void that is actually left and where it can take you mentally.
‘I don’t think it is catered for enough by football federations and it needs to be addressed, to be honest.’
Mental health support
Helplines and support groups
The following are helplines and support networks for people to talk to, mostly listed on theĀ NHS Choices website
SamaritansĀ (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans atĀ jo@samaritans.org.
CALMĀ Campaign Against Living Miserably (0800 58 58 58) is a leading movement against suicide. It runs a UK helpline andĀ webchatĀ from 5pm to midnight 365 days a year for anyone who has hit a wall for any reason, who need to talk or find information and support.
PANDASĀ (0808 1961 776) runs a free helpline and offers a support service for people who may be suffering with perinatal mental illness, including prenatal (antenatal) and postnatal depression plus support for their family or network.
ChildlineĀ (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.
PAPYRUSĀ (0800 068 41 41) is an organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
MindĀ (0300 123 3393) is a charity providing advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
Students Against DepressionĀ is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.
Bullying UKĀ is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying.
Amparo provides emotional and practical support for anyone who has been affected by a suicide. This includes dealing with police and coroners; helping with media enquiries; preparing for and attending an inquest and helping to access other, appropriate, local support services. Call 0330 088 9255 or visitĀ www.amparo.org.ukĀ for more details.
Hub of HopeĀ is the UKās most comprehensive national mental health support database. Download the free app, visitĀ hubofhope.co.ukĀ or text SHOUT to 85258 to find relevant services near you.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login