Josh Yorwerth reveals extent of his addictions

Peterborough United recently sacked defender Josh Yorwerth after he received a record four-year ban by the FA for evading a drugs test.

The former Wales youth team captain has been giving his side of the story in the Sun today, and it is not enjoyable reading.

EXCLUSIVE: Drug-shamed Josh Yorwerth on turning up to FA hearing "stinking of booze" having done cocaine hours earlier, his £35k gambling debts, being sacked by Posh & a record four-year ban that's left him lost.

Interview for @TheSunFootball:https://t.co/o32gpjBaMb

— Tom Roddy (@TomRoddy_) March 12, 2019

Its a sad tale of binge drinking, gambling and drugs use, tinged with a touch of arrogance from the former Crawley Town player.

The twenty-four-year-old defender’s career is effectively over due to addictions which have seen his life ‘spiral out of control.’

Yorwerth reveals he attended the preliminary hearing at the FA ‘stinking of booze’ and with cocaine in his system after a bender and also that he has run up gambling debts to the tune of £35,000.

He confesses to turning up for training at Crawley the worse for wear and is critical of then boss Harry Kewell, who tried to get him to slow down, asserting that even though he was drinking heavily, he was still the best player at the club

He also admits he is seeing a therapist who has told him he is severely depressed.

He tells the paper he is now lost without football.

Yorwerth is currently awaiting the outcome of his appeal which he has lodged on the basis of his mental health.

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Our View

As long as there is football, there will be tales of footballers who ‘go off the rails.’

Yorwerth’s story is not anything we haven’t read before, but that doesn’t make it any less palatable.

What is sad is that as long as there is football, the governing bodies will prove to be severely lacking in providing the education and support young players at all levels need.

Yorwerth needed help some years ago; if he had got it, maybe his career might not be over. 

Being asked to calm down by his Crawley manager Harry Kewell was just not enough.