Dean Windass

[bricktop]

Maybe Dean Windass acting the goat, has been a mask for his insecurities over the years?

People can say what they like, but in my own, honest opinion i think it is better that he has come out and spoke openly about his depression and suicide bids, and chosen to seek help rather than being found hanging from a tree somewhere having gone through with it and taken his own life as he couldn't cope with his depression, and never sought help.

Football has tackled and is still tacking racism, but depression and homophobia are still big taboo subjects that need to be tackled.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Maybe Dean Windass acting the goat, has been a mask for his insecurities over the years?

Bit like Gazza...?

 

[Bladesway]

As usual personal attacks upon those who have a different view

Yes, being called Cynical is a personal attack. I don't know how you slept last night.

Alien, lost a friend at 26 to Cancer as one of many people I know who have suffered a similar fate. Its deeply unfair and unpleasant. I can't however understand that there is no compassion from some areas for someone who for whatever reason, chose to attempt to take his life. There are very few cases where someone attempts to kill themselves or actually succeeds where I would not have compassion for their situation. I can't understand how anger can be a relevant emotion in these cases.

What if someone who posts on here has attempted to take their own life, would you judge them by the same standard? Anger, attention seeking etc etc?

I'm not one to care when there is a celebrity death as theres no connection, but when I read the news about Gary Speed it shook me to my boots. I know others on here who felt the same. This was somehow different. How this can be "overdone" is beyond me. It was how people felt towards a man who was universally liked within the game of football. What I saw on here afterwards was an outpouring of honesty about others who have either been depressed or occasionally felt life was getting too much for them. It was amazing to see. If thats overdoing it or backing an attention seeker I will take that any day of the week over judging a man who has serious personal problems.

The other thing I would say is that depression can strike anyone at any time. It may be a cry for help, it may be just a case of not feeling you can cope any longer. I certainly wouldn't say it is a situation that calls for anger and name calling.

Cynic, speech is free. But doesn't that mean we shouldn't use it with due care and responsibility rather than dismissing a man who (along with being one of our own for a time) has serious personal problems?

 

[SoccerCynic]

I do not accept that GS and DW have a greater right to sympathy than others because they are celebrities or as you put it "one of our own". My sympathy lies with those who are left behind by a selfish act. Why must we be careful with words with those we would not otherwise spare our criticism just because they take an overdose. In truth, I would not pass comment publically on someones suicide or attempt normally. I am just reacting to the fashion of hysterical public mourning for those I do not believe deserve it.

 

[Darren]

I do not accept that GS and DW have a greater right to sympathy than others because they are celebrities or as you put it "one of our own". My sympathy lies with those who are left behind by a selfish act. Why must we be careful with words with those we would not otherwise spare our criticism just because they take an overdose. In truth, I would not pass comment publically on someones suicide or attempt normally. I am just reacting to the fashion of hysterical public mourning for those I do not believe deserve it.

You clearly have absolutely no idea of what depression is like and how it can lead you into a place where suicide can seem a rational and reasonable thing to do. Depression is an illness, just as cancer is and both are deserving of sympathy.

 

[broomhillblade]

You clearly have absolutely no idea of what depression is like and how it can lead you into a place where suicide can seem a rational and reasonable thing to do. Depression is an illness, just as cancer is and both are deserving of sympathy.

I would question whether Windass suffered from depression in the clinical sense. Maybe he got fed up because he knows he has blown a small fortune which should have set him up for life.

 

[Darren]

I would question whether Windass suffered from depression in the clinical sense. Maybe he got fed up because he knows he has blown a small fortune which should have set him up for life.

That's the point isn't it. You (nor anyone else who posts here) are not his doctor and don't know if he was suffering from depression or not. Hence all the crap he is getting here is utterly ignorant and misplaced.

 

[SoccerCynic]

You clearly have absolutely no idea of what depression is like and how it can lead you into a place where suicide can seem a rational and reasonable thing to do. Depression is an illness, just as cancer is and both are deserving of sympathy.

Clearly you have absolutely no idea of my knowledge and experience...more to the point though, I do not have a go at depressives I merely disagree with the hero worship of the undeserving.
You may also wish to check who was one of the first to express sympathy when the GS story broke

 

[SwissBlade]

Very sad to hear, Speed's death has speculatively put 'depression in sport' into the spotlight, but as Highbury said, it has not been confirmed as the reason for Speed's suicide.

However, the speculation has probably led to a number of Sportsmen/ Former sports going public on this.

So what does it mean? Windass, regardless of what you thought of him as a footballer and pundit is just another former footballer who had it all and blew it. So what. He played the sport professionally that we all dreamed about as kids. And yes we can all quite rightly resent him when we all work for a living (just liek Windass did as a Brickie before he was spotted)

But I'm starting to realise that depression is more than just a bad hangover or the Monday blues.

I watched the Flintoff "the hidden side of sport" programme that was on BBC last week - Flintoff, Ricky Hatton, Vinnie, Steve Harmison have all had something to say on the matter.

So if Windass talking about his "demons" saves another sportsperson or gets help to those early enough to prevent others going down the same route.

Sports people are very lucky, but they are also work hard to get to the pinacle in their careers, just like many people outside of sport do. Depression is not restricted to just Sportspersons, so perhaps Windass, Flintoff and other "heroes" will help others to get the help they need.

Death is the one certain thing in life, most of us spend our lives trying to avoid it.

Good luck to Windass in getting through this

 

[Bladesway]

I would question whether Windass suffered from depression in the clinical sense. Maybe he got fed up because he knows he has blown a small fortune which should have set him up for life.

Yes, when I get fed up I often tie a belt around my neck and hang from the bannister, then take an overdose. Do you have a clue how utterly ridiculous you look here?

Cynic : I'm not having greater sympathy for these people I have sympathy for the cause full stop. I lost a friend to depression. He left loved ones behind. A selfish act? No way no how. His mind had manifested itself in such a way he thought he was doing these people a favour by topping himself.

Being a celebrity doesn't make it any better or worse but unfortunately it is the only way these things get highlighted. Look at how people have been more open about depression since Gary Speed (I know, we don't know if it was depression but it got us to the debate). Did you see the Freddie Flintoft documentary about it the other night? Would that have been undertaken or aired if it weren't for Gary Speed?

I don't know your level of experience granted, but you seem at best uncaring. Not a fantastic trait in my book when it comes to a bloke taking or trying to take his life.

 

[Darren]

Clearly you have absolutely no idea of my knowledge and experience...more to the point though, I do not have a go at depressives I merely disagree with the hero worship of the undeserving.
You may also wish to check who was one of the first to express sympathy when the GS story broke

Who is hero worshipping the undeserving? Are you saying that becase Windass was a higthly paid footballer he is not deserving of sympathy if he suffers from mental illness?

 

[SoccerCynic]

Actually, I do care. I care about the ones left behind to pick up the pieces. Professionally, I have experienced the circumstances of quite a few suicides and attempts. In addition to those my personal experience is that my father was hospitalised for depression and my brother has twice tried to kill himself. There is a difference between sympathising and elevating individuals to celebrity status. I am saying that Windass does not deserve special consideration because he was a highly paid footballer
PS Darren...have you checked on my post following the death of GS



Its all becoming clear why DW did it...here is the headline from the Star

"Former Blade and Owls striker tried to kill himself"

Was that why he was depressed or why he tried suicide or both

 

[AlienWoodward]

I don't give a flying left hook if Mardyass is depressed or not. I don't care if he jumps of the south stand with a weight around his feet as long it doesn't hold the game up.
I will think he is a top shite for flogging his story to a sunday comic (unless of course he donated his fee to a depressive charity) I will feel bad for his kids and abused wife who he decided he didn't need when he was pissed up and shagging some other bird, IF HE TAKES HIS LIFE. BUT HE WON'T AS HE IS JUST ATTENTION SEEKING.
The man spent that much money indulging himself he cannot afford to help his son insure his car !!!!
Bladesway I will sleep well tonight,I do not need reasoning from anyone or argument either. Was it Weller who said " you've made your bed you better lie in it" ?
I will weep for the starving children around the world, for the enforced laboured children around the world, for women forced into prostitution, for the millions who do not have the life chances the mardyass was given.
I will weep for the millions who die daily and wish they could stay here .... and if anyone can arrange for me to meet Mr Windass face to face and tell him what I think of him that would be appreciated.


For what it is worth I have sat in the back of a 999 ambulance taking my drug overdose father to hospital on two occasions. I absolutely hated him for what he tried to do, and put his family through. Years later he died of cancer and didn't want to die then, which highlighted to me what cynic said, which was something along the lines of people who fail,want to fail .
Did Dean Windass do this story for free do we know ? If not which suicidal charity benifitted from the story ?

 

[AdelaideBlade]

Was that the occasion when he allegedly performed a bowel evacuation in the 18th hole?

Correct indeed. But it wasn't at the Belfry, it was at Trethorne Country Club in Cornwall. Mr Windass de-logged into the 18th hole.

 

[Bladesway]

I don't give a flying left hook if Mardyass is depressed or not. I don't care if he jumps of the south stand with a weight around his feet as long it doesn't hold the game up.
I will think he is a top shite for flogging his story to a sunday comic (unless of course he donated his fee to a depressive charity) I will feel bad for his kids and abused wife who he decided he didn't need when he was pissed up and shagging some other bird, IF HE TAKES HIS LIFE. BUT HE WON'T AS HE IS JUST ATTENTION SEEKING.
The man spent that much money indulging himself he cannot afford to help his son insure his car !!!!
Bladesway I will sleep well tonight,I do not need reasoning from anyone or argument either. Was it Weller who said " you've made your bed you better lie in it" ?
I will weep for the starving children around the world, for the enforced laboured children around the world, for women forced into prostitution, for the millions who do not have the life chances the mardyass was given.
I will weep for the millions who die daily and wish they could stay here .... and if anyone can arrange for me to meet Mr Windass face to face and tell him what I think of him that would be appreciated.


For what it is worth I have sat in the back of a 999 ambulance taking my drug overdose father to hospital on two occasions. I absolutely hated him for what he tried to do, and put his family through. Years later he died of cancer and didn't want to die then, which highlighted to me what cynic said, which was something along the lines of people who fail,want to fail .
Did Dean Windass do this story for free do we know ? If not which suicidal charity benifitted from the story ?

Cant wait to call up Samaritans when your on shift.

 

[broomhillblade]

If anyone bothered to watch 'Late Kick Off' last night, Windass was the lead story.

If he's an attention seeker he/his agent is doing a good job.

['Late Kick Off' = complete waste of time as far as the Blades were concerned]

 

[Sothall_Blade]

http://www.people.co.uk/2012/01/15/...ice-as-he-battled-depression-102039-23699493/

<< “Stupidly I became involved with a girl and lost my marriage. I couldn’t get work anywhere and blew nearly all my savings. I couldn’t even *afford to pay for my son’s motor insurance. Although not in the superstar pay bracket I was pulling in well over half a million pounds a year so money was no object. Harvey Nichols was my middle name. I would buy £200 shirts, I’d live in D&G and Prada. Every time a new car came out, whether it was an Audi or BMW, I would buy it. Top-of-the-range cars were my thing. I also had a big family house in Leeds worth over a million." >>

What I don't understand is how he managed to "blow nearly all his savings"? There's no mention of gambling only drinking.
Downing 15 pints of lager a day isn't good for your health but it won't bankrupt you. Especially if people are queueing up to buy you drinks.
He only retired from playing 2 years ago and has since had (presumably) well-paid jobs with Sky Sports and Darlington.
What happened to all the top-of-the-range-cars he bought? What happened to the house worth over a million?

This comment particularly annoys me "“I do my run in the morning but at midday, what do you do? I think f*** it, I’m going to go for a pint."

How about trying to get a job (any job) if he's genuinely skint? How about signing up for a training course to acquire new skills?
How about volunteering to for charity work and help people who are genuinely in need.
That might make him realise that compared to many people, he really has not a great deal to be depressed about.

 

[judge]

<< “Stupidly I became involved with a girl and lost my marriage. I couldn’t get work anywhere and blew nearly all my savings. I couldn’t even *afford to pay for my son’s motor insurance. Although not in the superstar pay bracket I was pulling in well over half a million pounds a year so money was no object. Harvey Nichols was my middle name. I would buy £200 shirts, I’d live in D&G and Prada. Every time a new car came out, whether it was an Audi or BMW, I would buy it. Top-of-the-range cars were my thing. I also had a big family house in Leeds worth over a million." >>

What I don't understand is how he managed to "blow nearly all his savings"? There's no mention of gambling only drinking.
Downing 15 pints of lager a day isn't good for your health but it won't bankrupt you. Especially if people are queueing up to buy you drinks.
He only retired from playing 2 years ago and has since had (presumably) well-paid jobs with Sky Sports and Darlington.
What happened to all the top-of-the-range-cars he bought? What happened to the house worth over a million?

This comment particularly annoys me "“I do my run in the morning but at midday, what do you do? I think f*** it, I’m going to go for a pint."

How about trying to get a job (any job) if he's genuinely skint? How about signing up for a training course to acquire new skills?
How about volunteering to for charity work and help people who are genuinely in need.
That might make him realise that compared to many people, he really has not a great deal to be depressed about.

lets be reyt ,in no ones eyes is dean windass the sharpest tool in the box
doesnt exactly cover hisself in glory with these latest confessions does he ?

 

[moDtheGod]

"“I do my run in the morning but at midday, what do you do? I think f*** it, I’m going to go for a pint."

Not defending this, but depression or not, quite a lot of blokes - yes, blokes in particular - have serious issues when they retire from work. When you do the same thing day in, day out for year upon year, it can be difficult to adjust when that's no longer there. It can mess you up. It can ruin your confidence and make you question things. I'd imagine it's a similar thing for footballers, only it hits home earlier.

 

[JohnDenver]

I'd imagine it's a similar thing for footballers, only it hits home earlier.

Earlier and harder. Most of our jobs don't provide the massive highs of being a pro-footballer, so it's a long way to fall.

Windass is a berk, but depression has to be a common issue for top sportspeople, and he will need help.

 

[broomhillblade]

Earlier and harder. Most of our jobs don't provide the massive highs of being a pro-footballer, so it's a long way to fall.

Windass is a berk, but depression has to be a common issue for top sportspeople, and he will need help.

It also applies to soldiers coming back from the front line. They need help too - and probably deserve it more than ex-£10,000 per week footballers.

 

[alcoblade]

That might make him realise that compared to many people, he really has not a great deal to be depressed about.

I don't thnk it works that way fella. My mother, after a happy lifetime of honest hard work has just fallen foul of bi polar disorder. She's got nothing of note to be depressed about. She isn't after a sick note, in fact she's battling to stay in work at 67. She doesnt want anthing, other than to feel they way she did. If only she could "realise that she's not got a lot to be depressed about".



UTB

 

[Darren]

I don't thnk it works that way fella. My mother, after a happy lifetime of honest hard work has just fallen foul of bi polar disorder. She's got nothing of note to be depressed about. She isn't after a sick note, in fact she's battling to stay in work at 67. She doesnt want anthing, other than to feel they way she did. If only she could "realise that she's not got a lot to be depressed about".



UTB

Sorry about your mum, but you have hit the nail right on the head. The awful thing about depression is that it has no relation to objective reality. A sufferer is quite well aware that he or she has nothing objectively to be depressed about but still feels awful.

 

[moDtheGod]

[/B]

It also applies to soldiers coming back from the front line. They need help too - and probably deserve it more than ex-£10,000 per week footballers.

I don't personally understand why money comes into it, in this case. You either have mental illness, or you don't. Money doesn't alter that fact. I'd say that the footballer and the soldier both need help equally, if they both have depression.

 

[broomhillblade]

I don't personally understand why money comes into it, in this case. You either have mental illness, or you don't. Money doesn't alter that fact. I'd say that the footballer and the soldier both need help equally, if they both have depression.

But surely the question is does Windass actually have a mental illness or is he looking for sympathy?

 

[Darren]

But surely the question is does Windass actually have a mental illness or is he looking for sympathy?

If Windass announced he had cancer would you doubt it was true and suspect he was looking for sympathy? If not, why doubt it when he says he has a mental illness?

 

[Bert]

If Windass announced he had cancer would you doubt it was true and suspect he was looking for sympathy? If not, why doubt it when he says he has a mental illness?

When Mr Windass played for United Bert always saw him as an attention seeker, one who waved and pulled faces to the crowd at every opportunity.

He was a very fortunate man to be able to make a very good living from football for almost 20 years. Had he remained a bricklayer presumably he wouldn't now be suffering from mental illness.

Surely he could get a job now on a building site as a hod carrier or the like to keep him out of the pub and give him enough money to be able to pay his son's car insurance.

Incidentally, why can't his son pay his own bleeding car insurance?

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I still don't understand how he lost his money?

 

[Darren]

When Mr Windass played for United Bert always saw him as an attention seeker, one who waved and pulled faces to the crowd at every opportunity.

He was a very fortunate man to be able to make a very good living from football for almost 20 years. Had he remained a bricklayer presumably he wouldn't now be suffering from mental illness.

Surely he could get a job now on a building site as a hod carrier or the like to keep him out of the pub and give him enough money to be able to pay his son's car insurance.

Incidentally, why can't his son pay his own bleeding car insurance?

You seem to be another one with no understanding of mental illness. It strikes bricklayers, footballers and every other bloody profession. As Alcoblade so eloquently pointed out above, there is no relationship between contracting clinical depression and the objective facts of one's life. The fact that Windass made a very good living from football (as indeed he did) is irrelevant to whether or not he suffers with mental illness.

 

[Bert]

You seem to be another one with no understanding of mental illness. It strikes bricklayers, footballers and every other bloody profession. As Alcoblade so eloquently pointed out above, there is no relationship between contracting clinical depression and the objective facts of one's life. The fact that Windass made a very good living from football (as indeed he did) is irrelevant to whether or not he suffers with mental illness.

But Mr Windass says that his mental illness began after he stopped playing football. How come he didn't suffer from clinical depression whilst he was earning thousands of pounds a week?