A former Manchester United player has opened up about his struggles with alcoholism and depression, revealing that he would drink anything and "didn't care how bad it was or how horrible it tasted".
Goalkeeper Roy Carroll spent four years on the Red Devils' books, from 2001 to 2005, making 72 appearances for the club and winning three pieces of silverware, including the Premier League title.
It was not until his exit from the club that the then-Northern Ireland international began drinking excessively, and to the point where he felt he could no longer control himself.
A two-month lay-off due to an injury while on West Ham United's books left Carroll at home with not much to do, which he revealed led to a battle with alcoholism and depression.
"I was doing the same thing every day," he told the UTD podcast.
"I was getting in that little hole, and it was getting bigger and bigger.
"Because I was injured, I wasn't even going into training – they told me to take two months off. I was getting into a routine, waking up about 10 o'clock, half-ten. Drinking when I got up, drinking at lunchtime, drinking at teatime.
"My wife knew I was in a bad way. That's why I went to rehab. I didn't even know how bad I was.
"I was drinking – you name it. What was in front of me, I was drinking it. I didn't care how bad it was or how horrible it tasted, I was drinking it.
"I knew I was probably going to end up dying if I kept doing what I was doing. It was at that moment something clicked.
"I just had to change myself and I ended up going back to my wife, begging her to take me back.
"She never took me back straight away, but I've stayed dry ever since. That was nine years ago and 11 months from today."
