Former Newcastle United talent Karl Colley was forced to survive on £5-a-week after blowing his wages on gambling.
Colley began his professional football career at the tender age of 17 with Sheffield Wednesday. He later signed with Newcastle during Sir Bobby Robson's reign.
But he was unable to break into the first team while dealing with the pressures of moving to a new city. His mental health struggles would send him spiralling down the English football pyramid, where he later played for the likes of Halifax Town and Goole.
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The ex-defender has now opened up about the depression he faced during his football career. Despite often appearing cheerful around his team-mates on the weekend, Colley admitted that he privately battled his gambling demons for the rest of the week, which would often leave him short of money.
Speaking to the Undr The Cosh podcast, Colley confessed via the Mirror: "I was surrounded by gambling growing up. My dad was a gambler, my grandad and uncle were gamblers too. My dad used to leave me outside the bookies but you couldn't see what was going on inside. You could just hear the commentary, I was always intrigued.
“When I’d leave Newcastle's training ground, the only place I’d feel safe was the bookmakers. I was like a lost kid in a big city. When I’m at the bookmakers for hours on end I’m obviously gambling more money and it’s getting worse - but that’s my safe place."
He explained how he would place a bet every 30 seconds, adding: “When I was betting nothing else mattered. That’s when you know you have a problem. My month’s wages would be gone in a week, maybe less. Thousands of pounds. I remember living on a fiver at Newcastle some weeks."
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Following his spell at Newcastle, Colley was released by his beloved Sheffield United as a 19-year-old, before being sacked for a violent incident at Goole. In the latter, the then-30-year-old attracted nationwide attention for throwing a punch at a Coalville Town supporter in the stands whilst playing for the East Yorkshire team in January 2014.
The club fined and released their ex-captain promptly afterwards. He has been hit with two stadium bans, already serving six years and now working through a five-year ban which ends this summer.
Colley admitted his gambling problems persisted even at Non-League level, saying: "I was just playing to pick up money, that's all I've ever known, playing for money. I wasn't in the right frame of mind, I was still gambling, still suffering from depression.
"Nobody was aware of it because I hadn't opened up yet. People knew I was a gambler but the depression and where my head was at - nobody knew.
"You'd see me on a Saturday and I'd be smiling and laughing with a few quid in my pocket. Nobody saw me struggling the other six days a week, f***ing breaking down and facing my demons."
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
