‘Spike’ in calls to PFA asking for help as coronavirus lockdown affects players ’emotionally and mentally’ with concerns over rise in gambling addiction as boredom kicks in
- PFA reports rise in players contacting them with mental health problems
- Cases have ‘spiked’ with football shut down amid the Covid-19 pandemic
- There has also been a rise in players seeking help with gambling addictions
- PFA recommend League One and League Two players take 25 per cent pay cut
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
The number of players contacting the Professional Footballers’ Association for help with mental health issues has ‘spiked’ during the Covid-19 lockdown.
The PFA said 299 players had accessed support during the first quarter of the year compared to 653 in the whole of 2019.
Michael Bennett, the PFA’s director of welfare, believes the football shutdown has ‘hit home’ with many players and they’re struggling ’emotionally and mentally.’
The coronavirus lockdown has led in a ‘spike’ of calls to the Professional Footballers’ Association. for help with mental health issues
The lack of structure in players’ lives and worries over money and gambling are also factors as an increasing number seek help.
Football in England has been suspended at all levels since March 14 and with at least another three weeks of lockdown ahead, the game isn’t likely to return anytime soon.
Bennett told BBC Sport: ‘When you’re used to a particular structure and you’re not able to follow that, and you’re stuck in day in, day out – I’m concerned about players emotionally and mentally.
‘It’s key for them to understand that when something doesn’t seem right that they seek the relevant support.
‘We had an idea that the first week or two would be a bit of a honeymoon period, where people would be at home and spending time with the family.
‘But we always thought the longer it went on, that’s when it would hit home.’
The last matches played in England were back on March 14 before the coronavirus shutdown – pictured is the National League game between Maidenhead United and Stockport County
Following a meeting on Friday, the Premier League will work towards a resumption in the second week of June with a best-case scenario of a return to training on May 18.
Players at all levels are also being asked to take wage cuts as clubs try and negate the financial impact of the shutdown with no matchday revenue coming in.
Earlier this week, the EFL and PFA proposed that clubs in League One and League Two defer up to 25 per cent of player wages.
Bennett said: ‘As soon as we put that proposal forward we made sure players were aware they could access support via our benevolent funds if they had any kind of financial hardship.
It could be some time yet before players return to action with a ‘boredom factor’ kicking in
‘In the first week or so we even had a number of players calling up because they’d been caught up in the panic buying, overspent money they didn’t really have and then had to struggle through.’
He also spoke of a ‘boredom factor’ kicking in which could cause an increase in gambling among players.
The PFA has seen a year-on-year increase in the number of members using the Sporting Chance Clinic’s confidential helpline and network of therapists.
There was a rise of 438 players seeking help in 2018 to 653 in 2019 and that looks set to rise to over 1,000 this year if the trends of the first three months continue.