"I've cried every day since finishing playing professional football," - Dean Windass

"There are hundreds like me. After finishing football, there is nothing to get up for in the morning," - Dean Windass

           In an open and frank interview;  former FA Premier League striker and famed hardman;  Dean Windass has revealed his battles with alcohol and depression.  The Hull native, who played in the Premier League for his local club, stated:  "I have cried every day since I've finishing playing professional."  He also called for more help from inside the game for players struggling to cope with life after football.  

GLORY DAYS: Windass puts Hull into top flight for first time

"I've cried every day since finishing playing professional football,"
- Dean Windass             




             Last year, the father-of-two split from his police officer wife of 18 years after he was caught having an affair with a girl he met in a pub.  Then, just a few days ago, after the sudden of his father, Dean attempted to take an overdose of pills.  However, a former girlfriend turned up at his door, realised what he had done and forced him to drink pints of water until he threw up.
             But the following day after slipping back into the grips of depression and drinking half a bottle of strong amaretto liqueur, he tried to commit suicide again.  For a second time, he was saved by a miraculous stroke of  "luck,"  when a friend of his knocked on the front door.

..and celebrates the feat: Championship Play-Off, Wembley 2008

As a local football legend, punters were only too happy to buy Dean drinks 






            At the height of his fame Windass was earning more than half a million pounds a year.

             In 2008 he scored the goal that took his home town club, Hull City into the top flight of English football for the first time in their 104-year history.  He also appeared in the Premier League for Bradford City and Middlesbrough and played in the Scottish Premier League with Aberdeen before ending his professional career, which spanned 19 seasons, in 2010.

             But after squandering most of his fortune on clothes and top-of-the-range cars Windass has been left almost bankrupt, unable even to pay for his son's car insurance.  After retiring from playing Dean had hoped to move into management. But things didn't work out and he found it impossible to get work.

HARD MAN: but Windass had similar problems to Gary Speed

"After the suicide attempts, I need to get myself sorted.  Speaking out is part of the healing process," - Dean Windass   


          Without the day-to-day routine that life as a professional footballer brought, things soon spiralled out of control as Dean filled most of his days with trips to the pub.  As a local footballing legend, punters were only too happy to buy him drinks.  

             "After two failed suicide attempts, I need to get myself sorted out, which is why I'm speaking out now.  It's part of me getting better - part of the healing process.  People see me as a strong man, but I'm not ashamed to admit that I tried to end it all after a string of setbacks.  I just couldn't shake off the depression at feeling what a failure I'd become."

             At 42 years-old;  Windass is the same age as Gary Speed, who recently committed suicide and the troubled man finished by stating:  "We (footballers) are not the brightest but you play football all your life.  There are hundreds of us in the same situation.  After finishing football, there is nothing to get up for in the morning."