Suicide is always a tragedy, back in 2015; the football community was rocked and deeply saddened when news broke of the suicidal death of Romania legend Lucian Bălan, who won the European Champion Clubs’ Cup and the UEFA Super Cup with FC Steaua București in the mid-1980s.
Balan was found dead in his home on Thursday after he committed suicide.
“Legendary Lucian Balan has left this world at the age of 56,” Steaua, who became the first eastern European club to win the European Cup in 1986,” his former club Steaua Bucharest said in a statement on their website (www.steauafc.com).
“(He) decided to end his days within a month after he lost his mother.”
With this in mind, here are other six footballers who committed suicide either during their careers or post retirement from the game.
6. Dale Roberts (1986 – 2010)
Born on the 22nd October 1986, in Horden, County Durham, England, The tragic goalkeeper Dale Roberts began his senior career with Nottingham Forest after signing as a professional in 2005.
In 2008, He joined Conference National team Rushden & Diamonds, where he was named player of the season in 2008–09 after keeping five clean sheets in 18 appearances.
The then goalkeeper also won six caps for the England C team( Three L , winning the 2009–10 player of the year, before his death by suicide at the age of 24.
On 14 December 2010, the news broke that Roberts killed himself over the ’embarrassment’ of his fiancee having an affair with the brother of Chelsea captain John Terry(Paul Terry).
Roberts’ number one jersey was also retired by phoenix club AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
5. Jimmy Yates (1869 – 1922)
The former English winger is well known for his three spells at Southampton. He was on the score sheet when his Saints side booked their place in the 1900 FA Cup Final after a 4–1 humiliation of Newcastle United.
Yates was part of the Southampton team which claimed four league titles in five seasons. In his three separate spells with Southampton, he made a total of 77 appearances, scoring 22 goals.
After retiring from professional football, Yates spent some time in Denmark coaching for Copenhagen before he became the first professional coach in Dutch football, when he signed a six-week contract with HVV in 1904.
Yates also coached in Brazil and USA before he returned to Southampton in 1907, taking up employment as a stevedore in Southampton Docks.
Because of his ill-health, he lost his job. Unable to find employment, he committed suicide on Southampton Common in September 1922.
4. James Blair ( Died in 1913)
The late Scottish striker played for two Premier League clubs Arsenal and Manchester City where he made a total of 89 appearances for both teams in the Football League between 1905 and 1910, He also made 5 FA Cup appearances.
Having played also for Bradford City, Blair committed suicide in 1913.
3. Joan Gamper (1877 – 1930)
Joan Gamper was a man who created the iconic clubs we know today, He founded football clubs in Switzerland and Spain, most notably FC Zürich and FC Barcelona. He was an early captain of FC Basel.
During his lifetime, Gamper was a Swiss football pioneer, versatile athlete and club president. Gamper committed suicide after a period of depression brought on by personal and money problems.
2. Gary Speed (1969 – 2011)
The suicide of Welsh footballer and manager Gary Speed shocked the world. He was one of the best players for over a decade in the history of English first division football.
Speed captained the Wales national football team until retiring from international football in 2004.
He remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between 1990 and 2004, playing mainly as a left-side attacking midfielder.
At club level, Speed played professionally for Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United in England where he made 534 Premier League appearances.
Only Ryan Giggs, Frank Lampard, James and Gareth Barry have played in more Premier League matches than Speed.
Having managed Sheffield United and the Welsh National team, He ended his life by hanging himself in the garage of his home, after the night he was interviewed a guest on the BBC One television programme Football Focus.
1. Alan Davies (1961-1992)
Alan Davies was an English-born Welsh footballer. He began his football career at Manchester United, where he made a total of 10 appearances for them, scoring one goal. He made his final United appearance in 1984. Davies played in both games in the 1983 FA Cup Final when United defeated Brighton.
Davies also spent time with Newcastle United, Charlton Athletic, Carlisle United, Swansea City (two spells) and Bradford City.
On 4 February 1992, after dropping his daughter off at school, Davies drove to Horton, and committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning.
In August 1992, Swansea City and Manchester United paid tribute to the late Alan Davies with a Testimonial match at Vetch Field for him, where football players and fans paid tribute to the man.
No comments:
Post a Comment