Lydd Town interim manager Ryan Smith tells how he spent two weeks in a clinic to get back on track

Lydd Town interim manager Ryan Smith is back to his old self after revealing he spent two weeks in therapy.

Smith checked in to Primrose Lodge in Guildford at the end of September.

He’d been struggling to cope with a change in his business life and decided to seek help after finding himself drinking too much and suffering sleepless nights.

Smith felt the situation was also affecting Lydd, with the team struggling to win a game and his own form on the pitch suffering.

Things have changed since his return, with Smith scoring four times, including an injury-time winner in an FA Vase first-round victory at Athletic Newham.

And on Saturday they thrashed high-flying Punjab 4-1 to move off the foot of the Southern Counties East Premier Division.

“I went away for some intense therapy,” said Smith.

“I told a lot of people I was on holiday but that’s actually where I was.

“The players knew and I told the committee on Thursday.

“Mentally, what happened in my business life had a big impact on me so I took some time out.

“I wasn’t in the greatest of places and I felt that was probably part of our bad run because I wasn’t on it as much as I could have been.

“In a funny way, it’s pulled us together.

“I’ve felt the love and support, to be fair, and that’s been reflected in performances because we’ve been playing pretty decent.

“I want people to be aware.

“I’ve hit the reset button from my business life, and how it was affecting me, and it’s yielded results.”

Lydd midfielder Ronnie Dolan drove Smith to Guildford and also collected him at the end of his stay.

“That shows how close me and Ronnie are,” said Smith.

“I had his full support and Primrose Lodge were amazing.

“We did yoga, reflection, where you go wrong, decisions you make, how