Certified Sports has released a chilling short film to highlight the impact being dropped from a football club at a young age has on mental health.
The non-profit organisation’s ‘Dropped’ campaign showcases real-life stories of young players that have taken their lives as a direct consequence of being let go by football clubs.
According to the charity, out of a whopping 1.5 million children playing organised youth football, only 180 players (0.012%) ‘make it’ as a professional footballer.
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The campaign intends to highlight the severity of mental health issues that can arise from being rejected and forgotten by football clubs at such a young age. Certified Sports hopes that aftercare will become a ‘legal duty’ that all professional football academies will have to carry out.
Around three-quarters of academy players are released between the ages of 13 to 16.
While the video was shot pro-bono by Rob Sanderson of House 337, the campaign was originally dreamt up by former Fulham FC academy player Max Noble, who was dropped after acquiring double knee surgery at a young age.
