Man Utd title winner didn't want to leave house after being mocked for his looks and got apology from Gary Lineker
The midfielder won a Prem title but admits he was never happy at United
FACE VALUE Man Utd title winner didn't want to leave house after being mocked for his looks and got apology from Gary Lineker
LUKE CHADWICK has revealed he was left battling depression and anxiety after being mocked for his appearance.
The former Manchester United midfielder was on the books at Old Trafford between 1997 and 2004.
3
Luke Chadwick (middle) has admitted he suffered from depression and anxiety during his time at Manchester United
Credit: PA
3
The former midfielder was ridiculed for his looks
Credit: PA
3
Now 44, the ex-MK Dons and Stoke midfielder has opened up his experience
Credit: Getty
Chadwick came through the United youth system, winning the Premier League in 2001.
He would go to play for West Ham, Stoke and MK Dons in a near two-decade career.
Ahead of releasing his autobiography Not Just a Pretty Face, the 44-year-old has opened up about abuse he suffered as a young pro.
Chadwick admits cruel comments about his appearance made him want to hide away in his house in the early stages of his career.
READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
NO WORRIES Man Utd identify £70m ex-Prem star as Bruno replacement if captain leaves
He told BBC Sport: "As a 19, 20-year-old it should have been the best time of my life but for a period of time.
"I didn't want to go to the shops, I didn't want to go out with my friends.
"I would just want to stay at home because I was so scared that people would talk about the way that I looked.
"I wasn't able to speak about it to anyone – not even my family, my friends – it was something that I kept so deep inside.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
"I probably felt helpless, in a way, because I just didn't know how to deal with it. And I just wanted it to stop, really."
Chadwick's anxiety improved after moving away from Old Trafford to join the Hammers in 2004.
Ex-Man Utd player Luke Chadwick claims his 'stomach twisted' whenever he appeared on TV as he battled depression
He continued: "It wasn't until I came away from Manchester United, and the spotlight's not on you as much.
"I was able to rebuild my confidence and live a really happy life.
"Football was always the place I felt free - the place where I didn't think about anything else."
Chadwick also received an apology from Gary Lineker for comments made on the BBC show They Think It's All Over.
Lineker was a team captain on the panel show, which regularly poked fun at Chadwick over his looks.
The England legend wrote on X in 2020: "I was part of that show, therefore, I too would like to apologise to Luke Chadwick for any hurt caused."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Shetlanders raise £10k for Gaza through art exhibition
The pop-up event was organised by ex-SNP MSP turned painter Jean Urquhart and crofter Cilla Robertson. A total of £10,433 was raised in 2025 after local artists and craftspeople donated all sorts of hand-made goods from Shetland, including knitwear, ceramics, books, paintings, home-dried herbs and decorative mosaics. A similar amount – £10,072 – was also raised at a similar event organised by the pair in 2024. READ MORE: SNP minister responds to 'secret meeting to discuss John Swinney leadership' reports The exhibition was staffed by local artists and members of Palestinian Solidarity Shetland. An original song was also offered, with the buyer able to then name and dedicate it. It was subsequently dedicated to the Palestinian people and sent to Palestinian ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot. Two of the items that were donated (Image: Jean Urquhart) It has also been titled: 'Tae Palestine, Fae Shetland, Wae Love'. The money raised has been split between Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Zaynab Project, whose founder Mina Shakib said: 'We're truly honored by support from the Shetland Islands. Knowing that your community chose the Zaynab Project because of our focus on food, water, and orphan support in Gaza means so much to us. We are honored to have received such a large, generous donation from Palestinian Solidarity Shetland and your community.' Urquhart, meanwhile, said: 'There are groups like ours all across Scotland. All protesting against the Zionist Israeli government actions in Palestine and our own UK Government's complicity in the genocide. "History shows Britain's involvement in the lives of Palestinians since the days of the British Mandate – it's time to make amends and help the people of Palestine, not destroy them. We owe them'.
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Vicky Pattison says 'I'm not proud of it' as she opens up on 'turning point'
Vicky Pattison has been open about her battle with vaping - admitting that she had been trying to quit the habit but 'it all unravelled' after she had a tough week Vicky Pattison, the ex-Geordie Shore star turned podcaster, has candidly shared an update on her struggle with vaping with her fans. On her Get A Grip podcast, the former queen of the jungle confessed to co-host Angela Scanlon that she's picked up the e-cigarette habit again. She explained: "Giving up things is really hard. I can't remember the specific turning point. Last week... it's always emotions with me. Like, I know I'm doing that... I'm craving relaxation. "In a world where I can't cultivate it naturally because my schedule's a bit unrelenting, I'm doing it synthetically. I think I will give it up at some point, I am really trying." She admitted to a setback in her efforts: "I was about five, six days in, but then it all unravelled. So I'm back vaping. I'm not proud of it, but it's who I am. I am a vapist!" At 37, Vicky isn't alone in her vaping woes; other celebs like Good Morning Britain's Kate Garraway and musician Matt Willis have also opened up about their own struggles last year, according to Chronicle Live. Garraway revealed her own vaping journey, stating she had stopped before her stint on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! — only to find herself hooked once more. On Good Morning Britain, she shared: "The last thing I want to do is in any way sanction [vaping], because I don't now. But my experience was, after Billy was born, I did smoke before and I was craving going back to smoking [but] didn't want to. "I thought it was amazing, because it didn't smell, at that point you could do it anywhere, it must have been like smoking in the 70s — you didn't have to stand outside. Everybody said it was better for you, and I did feel much better. I got the nicotine hit." However, after her stint in the jungle, she confessed that she fell back into vaping — a habit reignited by a segment on Good Morning Britain. Kate said: "I think we had some props in here or something ridiculous, and I picked it up and I was instantly addicted — like, beyond anything! I couldn't believe it, and it made me realise how particularly those disposable ones are so addictive." In a similar struggle, Matt Willis opened up about his own issues with vaping during an appearance on the On The Mend podcast, where he recounted a telling-off he received from a pal during a round of golf for being covert about his habit — notably from his wife, Emma. Matt detailed the encounter, saying: "I try to live a very honest life. For instance, I was recently playing golf with a mate of mine, and he's in recovery, and I was vaping on the golf course, and he was like: 'Does your wife know you do that?'" He shared his response: "I was like, 'No, I only do it when I'm at golf and I do it when I'm with the band, so I don't do it at home or around the family.' So he was like, 'You lie about it.' I was like, 'I don't lie about it, I just don't talk about it.' He was like, 'So you're holding something from people, you're keeping a secret.'" Matt candidly opened up about his vaping habit, confessing that he'd often sneak in puffs both during the day and at peculiar hours of the night. He detailed: "Before I knew it, I was doing three to four a day of these disposable vapes. I was even doing it on stage. I was walking to the back of the stage and vaping, thinking no one could see me." He added: "I'd wake up in the middle of the night and go for a wee and vape in the toilet in my hotel room on my own and then go try and get back to sleep." Remember to tune into Channel 4's Sunday Brunch featuring Vicky Pattison, which kicks off at 10am today (June 22).
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Matt Baker opens up on being 'apart' from wife as he issues family update
Countryfile's Matt Baker and his wife Nicola have been together for over two decades and have recently seen their careers go in different directions 'Countryfile' favourite Matt Baker and his wife Nicola have opened up about spending time apart as she embarks on an exciting new chapter away from their farm, chasing after a career in writing. In recent years, the couple have captured viewers' hearts on their hit Channel 4 series, Our Farm in The Dales, where the ex-Blue Peter presenter and his wife can be seen managing a sheep farm in the picturesque Durham hillside, close to where Matt was raised. Although Nicola's career has primarily revolved around her physiotherapy work and bringing up their two kids, she's also indulged in penning stories over the years. What was once just a pastime has blossomed into a full-fledged career, with Nicola now boasting three children's novels to her name and even more in the pipeline. With Matt juggling his own telly commitments, the two recently discussed their individual ventures during their chat on Lorraine's couch. Lorraine probed: "You go off doing your own thing writing the books, and you go off doing your own things around Britain, so there are times where you are apart. But don't you think sometimes that works?" Matt shared his take on their newfound independence, expressing: "We're such doers in our lives, and we're so supportive of what each other wants to do, we've just found our way through." Amid their busy schedules, Nicola revealed that their limited time together has become even more precious: "We make the most of the time that we have together and prioritise that — and make the most of that." The lovebirds met by happy accident when Matt was a performer at a disco in Cleethorpes, culminating in a beautiful wedding over two decades ago. Now parents to Molly and Luke, they've witnessed their bond only grow stronger with time. In her literary endeavours, Nicola released her first children's book, A Whistledown Farm Adventure: Finding Hope, in February last year and has since seen two more of her novels — Rescuing Ruby and Meeting Meg — appear on shelves, with another title anticipated later this year. While Nicola gives us a peek into her world with Matt, he himself is gearing up for a return to the telly later today, joining forces with Sammi Kinghorn to explore East Devon on the latest instalment of Countryfile. Additionally, fans of the bucolic show can look forward to Adam Henson's comeback, as he cares for the newborn livestock on his farm in the Cotswolds. Be sure not to miss Countryfile, which airs this afternoon (Sunday, June 22) on BBC One at 5.25pm.
