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Content warning: This article contains discussion of suicide and depression.
Former England international Stephen Warnock says he considered suicide after receiving bad financial advice.
The 42-year-old pundit made 550 appearances for 10 clubs and won two caps for England before retiring in 2018.
Ms Warnock said the “reckless” financial advice left her depressed and suicidal.
“I was thinking about taking my own life at one stage. I was in such a rut,” Warnock told Sky Sports.
“Because of that, I couldn't sleep properly for six years.'' [financial advice]. Every morning, I would sleep for about 3 hours and then go back to training. ”
The breakdown of Warnock's marriage coincided with his retirement, during which time he did not see his children.
Warnock, who played for Liverpool, Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League, said he had postponed his retirement because of financial difficulties and the need to continue earning money.
Warnock added that he was “dissatisfied” with football during the final years of his career, dropping out of the league and “losing the conversation”.
“I look back now and think, 'I was in a severe depression for many years.' I retired at 35. I probably retired mentally at 31,” he said.
It wasn't until a chance encounter with an old friend who was training to become a counselor that Warnock began to look at his career and life differently.
“He said I looked like a mess on TV and rang it up. And he said he'd make me feel better in two weeks. I dug deep, lots of tears. There was, and there was a lot of honesty,” Warnock said.
“When I got off the phone, I remember thinking that one session had made a big difference in how I felt. It was like a fix, and I needed it.”
He added: “I started getting more involved with the kids. They could see the change in me, and I started to feel like I wasn't going to be disappointed when I looked back on my career.
“It had a positive impact on it and made me realize what I had accomplished in my career.”
Ms Warnock said a friend later told her that she could hear a difference in the way she sounded and the way she looked on TV because of her increased confidence.
He added: “I was very proud because I knew how much I had been through. It was one of the best moments of my life.”
