My article this week is a little different to what you usually read from me as I want to tell you all about the Crystal Palace Football Club mental health team writes Paul Richards.
It is something I have been very proud of being a part of for a few years.
The group started around six years ago and has gone from strength to strength. The team is made up of players with all sorts of mental health issues ranging from anxiety and depression to autism and other severe conditions.
The charity Mind in Croydon provide welcome support and player recruitment whilst the Crystal Palace Foundation provide a coach that Mind cover the costs for. The team trains at the dome at the back of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and have gone on to have a squad of 22 both men and woman.
There are a few negatives that I would like to talk about. The first is that the club itself seem to be unwilling to help the team due to what seem to be politics between them and the Foundation. Having experienced this first hand, I can confirm that trying to get anything out of the club such as a kit or any kind of recognition is extremely difficult.
The team were promised a new kit over a year ago and it never arrived. It was only until the Study Centre stepped in and an anonymous donation was made by some kind soul that we were any closer to getting our own kit.
The reason I mention these points is because certain people at the club and at extended branches are happy to put us on the television to promote the good work seemingly being done but it is the Foundation that has helped us most even though it is just a couple of hours a week.
You ask one thing of the club and it takes two years and another charity to sort it out. We have played in a kit this season that does not fit and is ten years old.
Anyway, rant over and now for the positives.
The team have gone from losing on a regular basis (which I was not around for!) to being Surrey League and Cup winners and now our first national tournament success.
What this project and team means to us all as players is something remarkable. I went from being severely depressed to having a social life and a new confidence within myself. I took over the team two years ago and it was in a mess.
The confidence was low, the football was poor and we had no idea what to do with ourselves. I worked with the more experienced players and the people from Mind on an almost daily basis to get people to enjoy what we were doing.
I am very pleased to say that the atmosphere and the team are all doing well now. We are laughing and joking and thankfully because of the team, most if not all of our guys are feeling happier and healthier.
Sadly, I leave the team this summer to concentrate on my career. I have a young family and a wonderful future wife and I feel the time is right to throw myself fully into something I know that I am good at and can be successful in.
That confidence has only come through working with Peter Rogers at Mind and all the players around me. I would like to think I made a difference to the team and help give mental health more of a push into the limelight.
Leaving the team with a technical treble win this season could not be a better time. I wish the new boss James all the best and I want to thank Peter from Mind and Susan from the Study Centre for all their support in what has been a truly wonderful journey.
The final thing I would like to say is that I want everyone to remember that there are people willing to listen to your problems and if you feel that things are getting on top of you or getting too much, please seek help if you are concerned about your own well being.
I know what it is like to feel trapped. I attempted to take life a few years ago but thankfully I am still here to tell the story but others may not be so lucky.
‘We’re Mind, the mental health charity. If you don’t know where to start, then start here www.mind.org.uk‘
