Jack Whatmough: Preston defender opens up about his struggles with alcohol and gambling while injured | football news
“I think my hardest conversation was when my wife said she didn’t really recognize me.”
Preston North End defender Jack Whatmough has opened up about his struggles with alcohol and gambling as he was sidelined with injuries throughout his career.
Whatmough suffered three serious knee injuries in the space of four years while at Portsmouth, where he began his professional career, before moving to Deepdale in 2023 after making more than 100 appearances for Pompey over nine years.
“I had three big injuries very close together and I was young and too naïve to understand what was going to happen, what my body would go through and, more importantly, how my mind would react when the football was taken away from me.” say Whatmough to One on One Podcast.
“I suffered a lot and football is a huge buzz for athletes, so when that is taken away from us, you start looking for it in another way.
“I learned it, but probably when it was a little too late.”
The now 28-year-old spent 17 months on the sidelines after suffering his first injury, but admitted the problems didn’t start to emerge until the later setbacks in his career as he rushed his recovery and picked up bad habits while at home.
Jack Whatmough (left) joined Preston in 2023 after previously playing for Portsmouth and Wigan.
“I was in a brace without moving the knee, bending it or straightening it. It was only locked for three months,” he added.
“I was doing things that were so strange to me. Gambling and drinking more than ever and I’m not a big drinker so that’s when I realized something was wrong and now I sat down with my wife and she went talk to her
“I think my hardest conversation was when my wife said she didn’t really recognize me.”
Although support from family and friends was needed, Whatmough revealed that he only started to make real progress after turning to the Professional Footballers’ Association for regular meetings.
“There were a lot of avenues you could go down, but the one I used was the PFA and I sat down and talked to them,” he said.
“It was more about understanding why I felt the way I did and how I could change what I was doing.”
Whatmough would continue to have hour-long meetings for up to 10 weeks, where he opened up for the first time about the issues he was dealing with as he struggled to return to full fitness.
Whatmough has now set his sights on helping others with similar problems
Jeff Whitley, who is part of the PFA’s welfare department, also spoke to the One on One Podcast about the work they are doing now with the players.
“One of the things we really push is around education, wellness, the ups and downs and the downsides of the industry,” he said.
“We’re not guessing what players are currently struggling with. That really helps us; then we can look at the services we’re actually offering and what support is needed.”
The ability to communicate openly with others has since equipped him with the necessary coping mechanisms to deal with previously problematic situations in the future, and he has now set his sights on helping others who are experiencing similar problems.
He continued: “Talking is very important, being open and using the people around you.
“I think there’s a huge stigma and ego that guys have to be brave and not need help. One of the best things I ever did was get help and now I’m happy to have conversations with anyone and open up.”
If you are interested in the topics of this article, visit it GamCarethe UK’s leading provider of free information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling.
English