Billy Kee: 'If I didn’t opt out of football, I don’t know if I would be alive'

08 June 2020 18:00
The former Accrington striker is building a future as a bricklayer after struggling with the demands of being a pro footballer“We ran out of bricks and compo today, so the rest is getting delivered tomorrow,” Billy Kee says, instinctively slipping into industry jargon. He has not long got through the door at home in Leicestershire after an unusually early finish on the building site where for the past six months he has been working as a labourer and apprentice bricklayer.Since retiring from professional football aged 29 because of struggles with bulimia, anxiety and depression, Kee has traded clocking off at midday for marathon days and mortar mixes. It has been a rocky road since his last appearance for Accrington Stanley in the penultimate game of last season, a 5-1 home win against Plymouth that guaranteed the club’s League One status in which he opened the scoring from the penalty spot. The final day brought a trip to Portsmouth but he did not play, despite travelling. Related: Uncertain times lead to rise in mental health challenges for athletes | Jonathan Howcroft All the best in your retirement, Billy Kee ❤️#EFL | @ASFCofficial pic.twitter.com/pwwws9UiwmIf there's any player going through all this, I'd say don't be scared to opt out and do something else Continue reading......read full article

Source: TheGuardian