EXCLUSIVE By Steve Madeley: One of the Black Country’s best-known football stars today admitted to a 16-year gambling addiction and said: “It’s taken everything I’ve ever earned.”
Darren Wrack, aged 31, made 331 appearances for Walsall but said he considered suicide over the compulsive betting.
He has now gone eight weeks without a bet after a month in the Sporting Chance clinic in Hampshire founded by ex- England star Tony Adams.
“I could put a figure on what I’ve lost but I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that,” said Wrack.
However, a conservative estimate of his losses would be more than £500,000.
“I know it’s a lot of money but I know I’m never going to get it back. And I don’t want it back because it would throw me into gambling again and I don’t want the life I was living.”
Wrack, who also played for Derby County and Grimsby, borrowed money from Saddlers team mates to fund his bets and put club officials in charge of paying his bills to avoid his wages being gambled.
Formerly of Cannock, he is now living in rented accommodation in Sutton Coldfield and his partner Leighsa Knowles is standing by him. He added: “I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from sometimes. Three or four years ago I had no food in because I’d spent all my money on gambling and that still wasn’t rock bottom.”
But he reached ‘rock bottom’ eight weeks ago when a heavy loss led him to contemplate suicide and forced him to seek help.
Darren left the Saddlers in May and a club statement today said: “We wish him well in his rehabilitation.”
EXCLUSIVE By Steve Madeley
15 Comments
TOO MUCH TIME ON THERE HANDS!
1- Boggie Boy
It’s ‘their hands’, not ‘there’.
Embarrassed?
They get paid too much.
good luck darren. keep the faith mate.
16 year addiction at 31. So he was addicted to gaqmbling when he was 15!?
Wolves are after Golen Oldies. He could go there!
2. No not at all, is it hard being so perfect as you.
Its Baggie not boggie
Emabarrased?
7. that would be funny but you spelt embarrassed wrong haha
For goodness sake, all of you grow up and learn to type and spell THEN you could all STOP being embarrased and support whatever team you want.
9.. agreed mate but you get some jumped up idiot that thinks he is better than anyone else commenting just because we dont follow his team. Its sad really but it must keep them happy for a short while in there (or is it their (slap on wrists) miserable lives
Boggie boy, its a joke!
And its embarrassed not embarrased!
Embarrassed?
come on all you albion fans dont rise to these stupid wolves idiots .your team are far superior and they know it just smile at their jealousy and ignore them.
All the best Wracky, well done on the first stage of your recovery.
Half a million quid in sixteen years?
That averages out at £31,250 a year gambling.
I’ve not earned 2/3rds of that a year to keep my family.
Are these young players paid to much? and do they have too much time on their hands?
Surely the clubs that these kids play for should take more responsibilty and make sure they stay on the straight and narrow.
Good luck Darren.
The main point is that serious gambling is a condition that requires treatment and the base of the problem needs helping. Well done Darren for been open about the problem and getting the right help lets hope it does help. All the very best.