Sleeping pill and painkiller addictions are a major and widespread problem across football, and Dele Alli’s admission is just the tip of the iceberg.
Retired footballer Ryan Cresswell has commended the Everton star for opening up about his struggles and has told talkSPORT about his own — saying pressure he felt from fans drove him to abusing prescription drugs.
Cresswell came through the Sheffield United academy and enjoyed spells at Bury, Southend United, Fleetwood Town and Northampton Town, making over 250 Football League appearances, before dropping into non-league football due to persistent injuries.
Now 35 and manager of Sheffield FC, the former defender is passionate about sharing his story and told talkSPORT about his battle with prescription drugs throughout his playing career, saying it’s a bigger problem than many people realise.
And he hopes by speaking about his issues, along with Alli and other former players, it will help those currently going through the same trauma seek help.
“I can definitely resonate with what Dele said,” Cresswell told Tony Cascarino and Mark Pougatch on talkSPORT’s Weekend Sports Breakfast.
“He's trying to hide suppressed feelings. Taking them, as he said, from 11 o'clock in the morning, that's something that I did and it's for that sole purpose of escaping reality.
“For myself, I couldn't deal with grief, with my emotions. And if you ask any of the players that I played with, I was always the loudest, bubbliest, funniest character in the dressing room, but it was a mask. Deep down inside, I was suffering.
“In a football dressing room, there's no room for weakness. It's a very macho environment.
“And the sleeping tablets, as Dele said, to start with, to sleep after games when the
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