Ex-Reds Talk Mental Health

Author, Dominic Stevenson, speaks with two former Reds, in a new Mental Health ‘must-read’ publication.

Two, former, Nottingham Forest loanees, John Harkes (1999) and Sam Hutchinson (2012-13), have been included in a new publication on mental health – Dominic Stevenson’s book, ‘Get Your Head In The Game: An Exploration of Football’s Complex Relationship with Mental Health’ (Watkins Publishing, 2020).

A fascinating, detailed insight into the depths which mental health issues take in the beautiful game, via a number of interviews with individuals of differing aspects in the sport – professionals and ex-professionals, coaches and fans, women, refugees, and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Consisting of a foreword penned by the iconic, Cameroon striker, Roger Milla (Italia ’90 fame), author Dominic Stevenson has gone all out to portray that which hides behind the curtain of mental health, with both Harkes and Hutchinson finding themselves fielded alongside the likes of Chris Kirkland and Iffy Onuora, Kelly Lindsey and Ella Masar, among other, there’s even room for a Val McDermid.

Of the two, ex-Reds, Stevenson opens his interviews with that of his idol, and the first person he spoke to for the book, Sam Hutchinson (pp21-34), the author himself being a Sheffield Wednesday supporter and Hutchinson having spent the best part of the past six years, prior to a spell in the sun with Pafos, in Cyprus, in the blue & whittle half of England’s Steel City.

Prior to turning out for the Owls though Hutchinson would begin his career with London giants, Chelsea, touted by then Blues boss, Jose Mourinho, as being the heir apparent to John Terry’s throne.

Injury however called an early, albeit temporary halt, to Hutchinson’s playing career, ‘retiring’ for a couple of years before returning to the game he knows, and loves, heading on-loan to Nottingham Forest, during the 2012-13 campaign.

Hutchinson would make his Forest debut away to Huddersfield Town in the late August, before netting on his home debut, against Charlton Athletic, at the beginning of September, Forest winning 2-1 at the City Ground.

“Sam often chronicles his own experiences during his career,” began Dominic, discussing his interviewing the former Red.

“He cited his loan spells (with Forest, then Vitesse Arnhem) in a very, positive manner, even more so as they came at a time when he was on his way back into the game.

“His (re)signing for Chelsea, and those two loans, were a big thing for him.

“He’s very much a heart-on-your-sleeve player who’d grown up at Chelsea and was touted as the next ‘Mr Chelsea,’ and then had all that taken away from him.”

In ‘Get Your Head In The Game,’ (p22) Hutchinson alludes to his two loan spells under the heading ‘I Considered Myself An Failure,’ the pro footballer telling the author that; “I’d say it wasn’t until coming back from retirement that I felt I’d really made it.

“I was about 24, which is late to realise it, especially when you’ve already played for a club like Chelsea. I knew I had the ability, but fitness-wise it just hadn’t happened for me.

“I didn’t want to make it back. I had no aspirations to play again.”

Eight years later and Sam is still lacing his boots having overcome those injury problems that had plagued his early career.

One of the key points within Hutchinson’s interview, something that pretty much always attaches itself to mental health, when the struggle becomes so real, is that of suicidal thoughts (pp29-33).

It is those inner-most thoughts which the author would find the hardest compiling ‘Get Your Head In The Game’ and that he found interviewing Hutchinson being hard, and nervous, none-more-so that when the nitty-gritty of Hutchinson’s own issues was brought to life.

“After the first period pf being down, at around 17, it sort of went away a bit until I retired,” Hutchinson continued (p30).

“When I retired I was struggling and felt suicidal, so I managed to say to the club doctor at Chelsea that I didn’t feel right and needed to speak to someone.

“Some of the initial struggle came from people questioning me about not being injured and stuff like that. It’s sadly something that’s carried on throughout my career.”

So, from being considered a failure, to his just doing his job, to struggling and being suicidal, Hutchinson certainly lays it all on the line in that opening interview, the same can also be said of another, former Red, the American all-star, John Harkes (pp194-204).

Although Harkes only had an all-too brief spell with the Reds, his career is an iconic one including his bit-part role in the formative years of both the Premier League, and Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as appearing at Italia ’90 and USA ’94 with the US Men’s National Team (USMNT), both of which were instrumental in their own way.

Currently Head Coach at Greenville Triumph SC, a fledgling, American side who play in the USL League One, Harkes began his playing career in England with Wednesday, before spells at Forest’s rivals Derby County, and West Ham United, before that fateful visit to the City Ground, the latter of which came in the late nineties.

For all in which he accomplished during his career, Harkes’ loan spell with the Reds, wasn’t one for the feint-hearted, during that two-month period within which one of his three games was the 8-1 horror show at home to Manchester United on 6 February (the largest away defeat in history until Leicester’s 9-0 demolition of Southampton in 2019, current Red Devils boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, netting four).

“He’s huge, especially for a (Sheffield) Wednesday team, and he also did things for the US national team,” continued Dominic.

“A marquee player who was the perfect gentleman (when they met), and, like others, very supportive of the project, and is still going, battling away, trying to make something of himself, making himself extremely passionate and vocal of the continued growth of the MLS.”

A key moment in both footballing history, and the career of Harkes, arrived at the 1994 World Cup, held in his homeland. It would be an occasion that live long in the memory.

On 22 June 1994, the USA defeated Colombia 2-1 in the group stages of the World Cup finals, the result eliminating the Colombians, the opening goal, an own-goal from defender Andres Escobar, who, at that time, was intercepting a Harkes cross. Escobar was murdered days later back in Colombia as Harkes, and his US team-mates, were preparing to face Brazil in the knockout stages.

“The effect of the (Andres) Escobar incident was a very dark time for Harkes,” explained Dominic.

“He didn’t get the support back then and had to block it out; it’s remarkable that it’s over 36 years ago now and people try to forget it, they do.”

Harkes meanwhile states in the book (p198): “That day is one of the darkest, saddest days in football history and one of the saddest in my life.

“You never expect that to happen and it wasn’t something you can get over….

“A lot of people can internalise that kind of sadness and negativity, but luckily we had a great group.

“I had many friends in our team and I was very fortunate that there were so many good people to talk to.

“Sadly though, there were none of the structures you’d see today to help us get through it.”

From his feeling honoured in donning the famous stars and stripes of the United States, to putting pressure on himself and wanting to entertain the masses. Although his time at Forest is a less memorable one, Harkes’ spell with Wednesday, and his being the first American to play in the Premier League, will see his legacy stand the test of time, but those darkest days will always fester within.

“Overall, in writing this book, it wasn’t about raising awareness of mental health,” explained Dominic.

“It’s about whether people consider themselves, or could they do more with themselves; I want people who read it to be able to get something from it themselves.”

Published by Watkins Publishing (2020), Dominic Stevenson’s book ‘Get Your Head In The Game: An Exploration of Football’s Complex Relationship with Mental Health’ is available now from La Bibloteka priced at £12.00.

You can keep up-to-date with Dominic Stevenson’s progress via Twitter HERE.