West Heading In Right Direction!

Politics in football is contributing to the number of players suffering with depression.

- Steve Tervet

That’s the view of Eastbourne Borough forward Mike West, who this week told The NLP he knows a player who’s battling mental health demons right now.

West also revealed his big move from Ebbsfleet to Crewe Alexandra in 2012 wasn’t the deal he wanted, with his agent moving the goalposts at the last minute.

And the 28-year-old described how an 18-month injury nightmare back in Kent forced him to carve out a new career away from football.

It’s fair to say West’s perspective on the game has changed hugely over time.

“There’s too much politics in football for me,” he said to mark World Mental Health Day on Thursday. “When you’re younger, you don’t see it but when I got my injury and was sitting on the sidelines, you hear all the chit-chat that goes on behind the scenes. Chairmen get involved, managers say this and that and sometimes it’s not a nice place to be.

“I understand why people suffer with depression. Some of my friends have and there’s a player who’s going through it at the minute. It’s not nice to see.

Lifestyle