Soccer Aid star Tom Grennan has plates fitted in jaw for life after awful incident
Soccer Aid star Tom Grennan has plates fitted in jaw for life after awful incident
The singer was left with serious injuries as he underwent extensive surgery
Grennan was left traumatised by the horror attack
England are looking to retain the Soccer Aid title as they take on the World XI at Old Trafford on Sunday evening, with singer Tom Grennan key to their hopes of getting another win.
Voted player of the match in the 2023 edition, Grennan - whose hits include 'Little Bit Of Love' and 'By Your Side' - is one of the most comfortable on the ball amongst his fellow celebrities, having trained to become a professional footballer before soaring to fame as a singer.
As a teenager, the huge Coventry City fan played for Luton Town and also tried out for Northampton Town and Aston Villa but was later released.
He was also offered an opportunity to play in the United States but he turned it down, telling Music Week: "I was close to playing over in the States but something was telling me not to and obviously it was the music".
Of course, football's loss was music's gain and, after finding fame through a collaboration with Chase & Status, Grennan has become one of the UK's top artists, performing at countless top festivals and securing two UK number one albums.
However, while he is clearly multi-talented, the 30-year-old's journey to the top has not been straightforward, with two horror attacks leaving him scarred both mentally and physically.
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Awful attack on Tom Grennan
At the age of just 18, Grennan was attacked by a group of strangers, with the traumatic event leaving him needing surgery as he suffered a fractured jaw.
It also meant that he had metal screws and plates fitted in his jaw for life.
The singer also required extensive therapy as he struggled with his emotional health in the wake of the attack, admitting he "fell into a massive depression" and didn't want to leave his house as he suffered with anxiety.
While he does not like to relive the traumatic event, he told the Guardian in 2017: 'I look at it in a positive way. It made me, like, I don't know … It made me very thankful, do you know what I mean?"
However, in 2022, Grennan was again the subject of an unprovoked attack as he was beaten and robbed after a performance in New York.
He was left hospitalised with a ruptured ear and torn eardrum, leading him to postpone an upcoming show in Washington, D.C..
In a statement, his manager John Dawkins said at the time: "Tom is currently being assessed by doctors for his injuries which include a ruptured ear, torn eardrum and issue with his previously fractured jaw.
"Despite this, Tom is in good spirits but needs to temporarily recuperate whilst doctors assess his ability to continue with his touring."
Having put those dark days behind him, however, Grennan is now at the top of his game and will take to the pitch alongside the likes of Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Jill Scott and Dame Denise Lewis as England look to win successive titles.
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However, he will be up against an impressive World XI team that boasts former football stars like Nemanja Vidic and Carlos Tevez alongside famous faces Martin Compston, Bryan Habana and Tony Bellew.
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