Players’ addiction to sleeping tablets concerns ‘clean’ Ryan Cresswell

Former English Football League defender Ryan Cresswell has warned of the danger of players becoming addicted to sleeping pills after it nearly claimed his life.

Cresswell, whose clubs included Rotherham, Southend and Northampton, achieved 12 months of sobriety earlier this summer after a second stint at the Sporting Chance rehab clinic and his life is now on the up.

He is back working in football as manager of Sheffield FC – the world’s oldest club – and is feeling positive about his future.

It was a different story when his addiction began with painkillers to treat a chronic knee problem while he was at Northampton, then came the sleeping tablets, followed by alcohol and that is when his world came crashing down.

After going into rehab for the first time there was a relapse and the 34-year-old was heading in a downward spiral.

And he believes it was only an intervention from fate that saved him.

“Painkillers, sleeping tablets and drink. I was way out of my depth. I can’t believe I did what I did,” he told the PA news agency.

“When I went into rehab for the first time I thought I hit a low but I hadn’t even dived in the pool.

“When I went in the second time I was gripping on for dear life. It was a matter of life or death. I didn’t want to die. Some people have passing thoughts about not wanting to be here anymore, I was living in those thoughts.

“I’d been in the depths of despair for a few months and this one morning I’d decided enough was enough and that I couldn’t do it anymore, I was thinking, ‘I’m hurting the people around me, I’m a s***t dad, I’m a s*** husband’.

“I thought I was either going to end it and know I am going to end it or continue doing what I was doing until I end.

“Can I have 15 returns to The Home