Kevin McNaughton reveals depression battle as ex Aberdeen star admits worrying tweets were 'a cry for help'

Kevin McNaughton has bravely opened up on his battle with depression after a series of worrying tweets resulted in him getting the help he needed.

Former Aberdeen star McNaughton admits his life hit a downward trajectory after he retired from professional football. The ex-Scotland international found it hard to cope with the major change in lifestyle, which affected his personal relationships and ultimately left him isolated and struggling to see a future for himself.

But McNaughton is now in a much better place and is glad he sent the Tweets as it made people realise he needed help. He told Sky Sports: "I just got myself in a bit of a mess really, which stemmed from not really being prepared for life after football. My life had slowly sort of disintegrated after I stopped playing. My relationship sort of fell to pieces and then off the back of that, I probably isolated myself a bit as well when I should have really been speaking to other people and getting help. Looking back, that was obviously a mistake. It was a difficult time."

The tweets the long-serving Cardiff City stalwart sent read: “Let my kids know I’ll hover above, I’ll always love them they’re too good for me.” He added: “Looking back, I can’t actually remember sending them. I’d taken quite a lot of the medication I was on and with alcohol, I was a mess really.

“I was lucky enough that I did probably send them out. It was maybe a cry for help. I had got to that sort of stage of rock bottom, I think. The police found us with my medication and alcohol. They could see I was in a state really, to be honest with you. That probably helped us through the first few weeks of trying to get myself back on the right track. I probably kept my head in the sand for a