Former SPFL star opens up on beating booze hell that followed leaving full-time football and urges others to seek help

A former top flight SPFL footballer has told of his booze battle in a bid to help other ex-pros cope with life after the game.

Sean Higgins went from being a full-time player at Ross County, Dundee, St Johnstone and Falkirk to part-time with Stenhousemuir, Cowdenbeath, Clyde and Albion Rovers.

That was 10 years ago and it is only in the last year the 38-year-old has recognised that’s the point when an unhealthy ­relationship with alcohol began.

It’s a problem he fears is all too common for professionals at the twilight of their career.

For Higgins it took a turn for the worse when he lost his father, best pal and number one fan, John, in the winter of 2020.

With two massive voids in his life, he turned more and more to alcohol.

After a heart-to-heart with his family, Higgins sought help from mental health charity Back Onside and subsequently kicked the drink.

Now, a full year after he last touched alcohol, Higgins hopes his story will help others to seek the same support.

He said: “When all you know as a full-time professional footballer from the age of 17 is getting up early to go and kick a ball about for work every day .. then that’s an unbelievable life and unbelievable for your mental health too.

“When you don’t have a purpose to wake up for in the morning then it can become really difficult.

“I went part-time in 2013 after Falkirk said they couldn’t offer me a new deal on the same money. I started a university course but I was only there a couple of days and training two evenings with Stenhousemuir.

“I’d be getting up in the morning trying to think what to do that day.

“Every opportunity to have a drink I took. Depression of not being a full-time footballer was starting to set in at that point.

“If you analyse it