On this episode we speak to Karl Colley, an ex professional footballer born in Sheffield. Karl relished the dream of so many young players by signing a professional contract at 17. Karl signed with Sheffield Wednesday - the rivals of his boyhood club Sheffield United. He later had spells at Newcastle United before returning home to Sheffield, signing at the opposite side of the city with Sheffield United. But that 'dream' opportunity of playing professional football isn't always what it seems, as revealed by today's guest. We mostly avoid 'on the pitch' stories and instead delve into some of the 'darker' sides of sport. Karl openly shares his personal experiences of isolation and how it later lead to depression, addiction and an attempt on his own life. We are extremely grateful to Karl for his openness around his struggles which has provided us with a platform to raise awareness on gambling addiction, ill mental health and suicide. Gambling and depression in particular are issues that are unfortunately prevalent for young athletes who may find themselves with a new, potentially large income stream and a lack of places to spend it. Failure from clubs to really check in on players and direct them towards the correct form of support can lead to the worst possible outcome in suicide. We hope this episode reduces the chances of any young athlete experiencing similar issues to Karl. Keep up to date with Karl's current pursuits as a mentor and gambling awareness speaker by following him on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-colley-32a912167/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karlcoll33/ If you are experience ill mental health we encourage you to reach out or seek support from the following organisations: Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/scotland/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ CALM: https://www.thecalmzone.net Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk Mental Health Foundation: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk Gambling support: Gam Care: https://www.gamcare.org.uk Gamble Aware: https://www.gambleaware.org Talking Points 1. Intro and welcome to episode (00:00) 2. Karl’s journey into professional football (5:02) 3. Competing against the best at Sheffield Wednesday (21:30) 4. Isolation, depression and gambling at Newcastle (30:23) 5. How can we support young players better? (45:24) 6. Returning home and signing for Sheffield Utd (51:56) 7. Depression leading to attempted suicide (1:05:20) 8. The road to recovery (1:12:50)