Dean Windass Suice Attempt

[FiNeRaIn]

Dean Windass has admited he attempted suicide earlier this month after battling with alcohol and depression following his retirement two years ago.

The 42-year-old former Hull, Bradford, Middlesbrough and Aberdeen striker's professional career spanned 19 seasons.

Windass, who scored the goal that fired his home town club Hull into the top flight in 2008, told The People: "I have cried every day for two years.

"I took an overdose and, when that didn't work, I tried to hang myself."

Despite earning more than £500,000 a year at the height of his fame, Windass, who also helped Bradford win promotion to the Premier League (scoring 86 goals in two spells with the Bantams), said most of his money was now gone.

His 18-year marriage has broken up and, with little income and grieving for his recently deceased father John, he decided to take his own life.

DEAN WINDASS'S CLUBS
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1991-95: Hull City
1995-98: Aberdeen (£700,000)
1998-99: Oxford (£475,000)
1999-2001: Bradford (£950,000)
2001-03: M'brough (£600,000)
2001: Sheff Weds (loan)
2002: Sheff Utd (loan)
2003: Sheff Utd (free)
2003-07: Bradford (free)
2007: Hull (loan)
2007-09: Hull (£150,000)
2009: Oldham (loan)
2009: Darlington (free)
"People outside football think we have it all," he said. "But I was in a hole that I honestly didn't know how to get out of.

"Just over a week ago, I hit rock bottom and decided to end it all.

"I need to sort myself out which is why I'm speaking out now. It's part of me getting better - part of the healing process.

"People have this image of me as this big strong man who can take anything life throws at him. But I'm not ashamed to say I wanted to end it after a string of setbacks.

"I knew I'd been a fool but I couldn't shake off the depression at feeling what a failure I'd become."

His first attempt was thwarted by a former girlfriend who turned up after he had tried to overdose on tablets.

The following day he tried to hang himself with a bedsheet.

"I tied it to a handrail at the top of the stairs but it was too long," he added.

"I was quite drunk and couldn't get it to work, so I got a belt instead. At that point a friend came round so I couldn't go through with it.

"We're not the brightest but you play football all your life. There are hundreds of footballers in the same boat. There is nothing to get up for in the morning.

"The Professional Footballers' Association or the governing body need to help us. I have hurt the people closest to me, so I've come out today and admitted I need help."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16566561.stm

I'm sure a couple of idiots will take the piss, but fair play to him for coming out and admitting he needs help. I hope the FA do put something in place for ex-pro's. Not all made millions like the top one's and can sit back by a pool in barbados.

[Friday's Legacy]

a lot of his problems have escalated from alcohol abuse, which in turn has threatened his marriage. i have little sympathy for him. he's had a very privileged life and he is still involved in the game through sky sports. he needs to think of his family, drop the drink and open his eyes to just how good he has it.

[who are ya?]

he is still involved in the game through sky sports.

He's so shit on Soccer Saturday it's embarrassing.

[Big Foot]

Fack him - never forgiven him for biting Ingimarsson at Valley Parade in 2003

[FiNeRaIn]

Fack him - never forgiven him for biting Ingimarsson at Valley Parade in 2003

He didn't manage to take any flesh though so wasn't a good attempt.

[Big Foot]

Fack him - never forgiven him for biting Ingimarsson at Valley Parade in 2003

He didn't manage to take any flesh though so wasn't a good attempt.

Bit like when he apparently tried to end it last week

[who are ya?]

2 failed attempts sounds like attention seeking to me

[Cripple Creek]

Fukking hell, with friends like you etc. "He should realise how good he has it", "his problems are to do with alcohol abuse". A man tried to kill himself for Christ's sake and suffered from clinical depression. The fact that he may have been wealthy and had a drink problem, the fact that he was a successful professional footballer doesn't in the final analysis take away from his tragedy. I've never suffered from clinical depression but, due to the nature of my work, know many, many people who have. Hope to hell it doesn't come calling for you lot one day even if you do sound like total ignoramuses. If it does, believe me, you will quickly change your tune.

[soggy biscuit]

a lot of his problems have escalated from alcohol abuse, which in turn has threatened his marriage. i have little sympathy for him.

[Big Foot]

Fukking hell, with friends like you etc. "He should realise how good he has it", "his problems are to do with alcohol abuse". A man tried to kill himself for Christ's sake and suffered from clinical depression. The fact that he may have been wealthy and had a drink problem, the fact that he was a successful professional footballer doesn't in the final analysis take away from his tragedy. I've never suffered from clinical depression but, due to the nature of my work, know many, many people who have. Hope to hell it doesn't come calling for you lot one day even if you do sound like total ignoramuses. If it does, believe me, you will quickly change your tune.

Fack him, Oxford Kant. Hope Joey Beauchamp is next

[rhroyal]

Fukking hell, with friends like you etc. "He should realise how good he has it", "his problems are to do with alcohol abuse". A man tried to kill himself for Christ's sake and suffered from clinical depression. The fact that he may have been wealthy and had a drink problem, the fact that he was a successful professional footballer doesn't in the final analysis take away from his tragedy. I've never suffered from clinical depression but, due to the nature of my work, know many, many people who have. Hope to hell it doesn't come calling for you lot one day even if you do sound like total ignoramuses. If it does, believe me, you will quickly change your tune.

+1. I'll still have sympathy for these guys if clinical depression drives them to attempted suicide, because I don't think anybody deserves it no matter how much a cnut they appear (and believe me, ppl on this thread are appearing exactly that. More so than Windass ever did right now, for sure)

[Focher]

suicide and depression are no laughing matter, but i can't help having minimal sympathy for a total helmet like Dean Windass.

[PlasticRoyale]

How hard is it to hang yourself? Cries for help rather than any proper attempt to kill himself

[Tails]

Fukking hell, with friends like you etc.

Probably justified in trying to hang himself if we are considering the author of those posts to be his friends.

For what its worth. He has got it a lot better than many others, even in respect to other ex-pros. How he remains in the media considering how uninspiring his career was and how poorly suited he is to punditry etc.

That being said, depression manifests in all demographics and hopefully he has a network of people who are willing to help.


oxf*rd kant though, so I am not shedding any tears either way.

[Silver Fox]

suicide and depression are no laughing matter, but i can't help having minimal sympathy for a total helmet like Dean Windass.

+lots

[Bandini]

If I'd spent that much of my life living in Sheffield, Middlesbrough, Aberdeen, Bradford and Hull I'd have topped myself years ago tbh.

[TBM]

Isn't this just a "look at me" story?!

[southbank1871]

Probably got a book coming out soon. Clever move really.

His hanging attempt did make me lol slightly I have to admit.

[YateleyRoyal]

Interviewed him once for student radio. Couldnt leave the football alone. Absolutely loved playing and never wanted to stop. Sad, very sad, and as he said, pro footballers dont know anything else and can feel totally stranded after retiring.

[Tredder]

2 failed attempts, imagine how many it would take Emile Heskey