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We're Ryan, Dan, and Ant, three 20 something lads, from Birkenhead, who love football. 24% of women and 13% of men in England are diagnosed with depression in their lifetime. But men are three times more likely to die from suicide than women. We wanted to know why. Join us every Monday and Friday as we speak to people from the wide world of football, all about Mental Health, in an attempt to learn more about it, and encourage men to feel more comfortable talking about their health and wellbeing, and attempt to remove the stigma that still surrounds the topic.
Episodes
Friday Oct 16, 2020
Friday Oct 16, 2020
"You're not fit to wear the shirt!"
We've all heard the chant, or been found singing it once or twice, but as football fans, do ever think about what it must feel like to hear it as a player?
We discuss player abuse, from a burning effigy of David Beckham, to Granit Xhaka being booed off the pitch, and the modern day iteration of abuse taking place on social media.
Can we have football without abuse? It's an important question to ask when considering the mental health of footballers.
You can find us on Twitter @marking_man and don't forget to use the hashtag #WheresTheTalkingLads
If you have been affected by any of the themes discussed in today's episode, we have listed some organisations below who are there if you need to talk:
Samaritans
Call 116 132 for free
Papyrus UK
Call 0800 068 41 41
CALM ZONE
0800 58 58 58
Monday Oct 19, 2020
Monday Oct 19, 2020
Episode 27
Making the intangible, tangible, the therapy of articulating your thoughts.
In today's episode, we discuss Kelly's struggles with depression and anxiety, how she used self harm as a release, and her decision to write about her mental health.
We also ask Kelly about her love of football, and how it should be more appreciated as a mental health resource.
Known as the always excellent Kelly Welles, in this interview, she's all that and more!
Due to Dan's current isolation period, we're back on Google hangout for this week, but back nonetheless!
You can find Kelly's fantastic blog here:
https://kellywelles.com/
Below is a link to her book, The Fear:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fear-Kelly-Welles-ebook/dp/B087MB73J2
You can find us on Twitter @marking_man and don't forget to use the hashtag #WheresTheTalkingLads
If you have been affected by any of the themes discussed in today's episode, we have listed some organisations below who are there if you need to talk:
Samaritans
Call 116 132 for free
Papyrus UK
Call 0800 068 41 41
CALM ZONE
0800 58 58 58
Friday Oct 23, 2020
Friday Oct 23, 2020
During these episodes we will take a look back at examples of mental ill health in football from yesteryear.
In 1932, tragedy hit Crystal Palace, as their first team goalkeeper Billy Callender was found dead inside Selhurst Park.
Billy moved to Palace from Prudhoe, Northumberland, in 1923, and would go on to make over 200+ appearances for the eagles.
I am joined by Jim Wright, author of The Sad Story of Billy Callender to discuss a true Crystal Palace legend, one of whom, very few Crystal Palace fans alive today will have heard of.
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Monday Oct 26, 2020
**Trigger warning, discussions about suicide and depression**
Episode 28
Learning to feel weak, and becoming the man of the house.
Jordan Broadbent is a UEFA A and Uefa B qualified coach, currently working for Barnsley in youth development. He has previously worked at Bradford City and Sheffield United, helping to develop talents that include current Everton number 9, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
When Jordan was a teenager, he and his family suffered from a tragedy that by his own account, changed who he was and how he behaved. Over the next decade, Jordan found himself lacking in discipline as he struggled to fill the shoes left following his Dad's suicide.
Over the past few months, prompted by the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, Jordan has started to open up to his partner about the impact his father's death had and continues to have on him. We ask Jordan to explain in his own words, that difficult part of his life, and the subsequent years, in an emotional and heartwarming interview.
You can find us on Twitter @marking_man and don't forget to use the hashtag #WheresTheTalkingLads
If you have been affected by any of the themes discussed in today's episode, we have listed some organisations below who are there if you need to talk:
Samaritans
Call 116 132 for free
Papyrus UK
Call 0800 068 41 41
CALM ZONE
0800 58 58 58
Friday Oct 30, 2020
Friday Oct 30, 2020
**Trigger Warning, discussions about gambling and addiction**
Can you be a football fan and avoid gambling?
The relationship between football and gambling has become so ensconced, that for many football fans it is now so very difficult to think of one without the other.
It is predicted that there is at least one gambling related suicide every single day in the UK, and there are thought to be around 350,000 gambling addicts.
27 of the top 44 clubs in England's top two divisions have shirt sponsorship deals with gambling companies, and 3 out of the 4 top divisions are indeed sponsored by SkyBet.
So, can you be a football fan and avoid gambling? Let's find out.
Today's episode was brought to you with the assistance of GamStop. GAMSTOP lets you put controls in place to restrict your online gambling activities.
You can find us on Twitter @marking_man and don't forget to use the hashtag #WheresTheTalkingLads
If you have been affected by any of the themes discussed in today's episode, we have listed some organisations below who are there if you need to talk:
Be Gamble Aware
0808 8020 133 for free
https://www.begambleaware.org/
Samaritans
Call 116 132 for free
Papyrus UK
Call 0800 068 41 41
CALM ZONE
0800 58 58 58
https://www.thecalmzone.net/help/helpline/
Friday Nov 06, 2020
Friday Nov 06, 2020
During these episodes we will take a look back at examples of mental ill health in football from yesteryear.
Today we're looking back at one of Brazil's all time greats, the man they called 'The joy of the people' and 'the angel with crooked legs', Garrincha.
A winger with a toxic mix of balletic skill and powerful running that bamboozled defenders at the 1958, and 1962 World Cups, as Garrincha, alongside Pele led Brazil to their first two World Cup victories.
But off the pitch, his life was so different. Garrincha was raised in the desolately poor suburbs of Rio De Janeiro by his alcoholic Father, following his Mother's death when he was a child. He would take that turbulent childhood into his adult life, his world a cocktail of alcoholism and failed relationships.
Eventually he succumbed to his addictions aged just 39.
To discuss Garrincha, we were joined by Andrew Downie, author of Doctor Socrates: Footballer, Philosopher, Legend Andrew translated the Garrincha biography into English, written by Ruy Castro. We were also joined by Roger Kittleson, author of The Country of Football.
Monday Nov 09, 2020
Monday Nov 09, 2020
Episode 30
The pressure of perpetual creativity.
If you're a football fan, you'll know a David Squires cartoon when you see one. Over the past decade, David's humorous drawings have become an integral part of football discourse, and an important way for fans to understand and connect with everything that's funny about the world of football.
But with that great success, has inevitably come pressure. David talks us through the process he has for drawing his cartoons, the worries and the doubts he has about every stroke of the pencil.
In today's episode, we get a an intimate look of the natural human emotions that come from being required to repeatedly provide humour and creativity.
You can find us on Twitter @marking_man and don't forget to use the hashtag #WheresTheTalkingLads
If you have been affected by any of the themes discussed in today's episode, we have listed some organisations below who are there if you need to talk:
Samaritans
Call 116 132 for free
Papyrus UK
Call 0800 068 41 41
CALM ZONE
0800 58 58 58
Monday Nov 16, 2020
Monday Nov 16, 2020
Episode 31
Learning to talk about death, dying and mental health.
In 2017, after a long career as a palliative care Doctor, Dr. Kathryn Mannix wrote a book entitled 'With the end in Mind'. Her desire was to try and encourage people to better understand death, and the process of dying.
Much like mental health, death is a subject that causes anxiety and awkwardness amongst many people, and is thus ignored as a topic of conversation.
We talk to Kathryn about the importance of improving our understanding of death, learning to talk about difficult subjects, and the relationship men and women have with their health.
You can find us on Twitter @marking_man and don't forget to use the hashtag #WheresTheTalkingLads
If you have been affected by any of the themes discussed in today's episode, we have listed some organisations below who are there if you need to talk:
Samaritans
Call 116 132 for free
CALM ZONE
0800 58 58 58
https://www.thecalmzone.net/help/helpline/
The good grief trust
0800 448 0800
https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/contact-us/
Child Bereavement UK
0800 02 888 40
Friday Nov 20, 2020
Friday Nov 20, 2020
Episode 32
Get your head in the game.
In 2019, writer Dominic Stevenson set out on a journey to write a book all about football's complex relationship with mental health. Over the previous 12 months, he has interviewed numerous people from within the game, including Sheffield Wednesday hero, Sam Hutchinson.
Dom asked people from the world of football to tell him about some of their darkest and most difficult experiences, in order to lift the lid on the often uncomfortable relationship football has with mental health.
Dom's book is a loving ode to a positive and idealistic view of football, as an inclusive, welcoming and joyful place. Sadly for many, this has long not been the case. During this episode we discuss why Dom thinks that is, and what we can all do as fans to improve the game we all love.
If you want to pre-order Dom's book, before it comes out on 8th December, you can do so here:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/get-your-head-in-the-game/dominic-stevenson/9781786784353
You can find us on Twitter @marking_man and don't forget to use the hashtag #WheresTheTalkingLads
If you have been affected by any of the themes discussed in today's episode, we have listed some organisations below who are there if you need to talk:
Samaritans
Call 116 132 for free
Papyrus UK
Call 0800 068 41 41
CALM ZONE
0800 58 58 58
Monday Nov 23, 2020
Monday Nov 23, 2020
Episode 33
There ain't nobody, like Steve McNulty.
Steve McNulty has played over 600 matches as a footballer, from the Conference North to League Two. He has been promoted six times in his career, and has been a captain and guaranteed starter at every club he's played for. Given his career as a full time professional didn't start until he was 26, that is some record for a man who is so loved at all of his former clubs.
Steve, now 37, is currently playing for Witton Albion, in the Northern Premier League, and took some time out from putting up a garden fence, to talk to us about his unconventional career path. The commute to Barrow as a part time player, the lonely nights whilst on loan at Luton, the 103 points with Fleetwood, the highs of back to back promotions with Tranmere.
Now looking back on the challenges he has faced during his career, both on the pitch and off it, Steve reflects on times he was afraid of looking weak, bottling up his emotions, and eventually finding the strength to open up to his partner.
There ain't nobody like Steve McNulty, and this might just be a side of the great man, that you've never heard before.
You can find us on Twitter @marking_man and don't forget to use the hashtag #WheresTheTalkingLads
If you have been affected by any of the themes discussed in today's episode, we have listed some organisations below who are there if you need to talk:
Samaritans
Call 116 132 for free
Papyrus UK
Call 0800 068 41 41
CALM ZONE
0800 58 58 58