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Former Premier League footballer Stephen Warnock has revealed that he concealed his seizures from Liverpool during his youth career because he feared the club would release him.
Childhood Seizures and Fears
The 44-year-old, who now works as a pundit for 5 Live, began his career in Liverpool’s youth setup and ultimately made 67 appearances for the club. Speaking on 5 Live in response to an interview with Hull City midfielder Matt Crooks, who has epilepsy, Warnock opened up about his own experience of seizures for the first time.
Warnock experienced a handful of seizures while he was a youngster at Anfield before eventually growing out of the condition. He explained that he was terrified of informing Liverpool because he worried about losing his place.
He admitted he was afraid the club would release him if they knew he had a condition, noting he also worried about a seizure occurring while he was on the pitch. According to Warnock, there were never any triggers for his episodes, and the unpredictability was what petrified him.
Medical Background and First Episode
Epilepsy is a brain condition affecting approximately one in 100 people in the UK. Charity Epilepsy Action states that epilepsy in children is frequently identified when a child suffers one or more seizures, which can be managed with medications to reduce or prevent episodes.
Warnock, who later played for Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, and Leeds United, suffered his first seizure at school while working at a computer before waking up in a hospital bed. He recalled that he completely blacked out and had no memory of how he arrived there. Friends informed him that he had a seizure, prompting an ambulance call.
He admitted to feeling embarrassed because nobody else around him had the condition or knew anything about it. After suffering another seizure at his house, he underwent CT and MRI scans during a period that lasted around three years.
Reflecting on the Past
Warnock, who retired from professional football in 2018, has not experienced a seizure since he was 14 years old, though he still worries about the possibility of it happening again. He noted that he was fortunate to grow out of the condition without needing medication or facing concerns about driving a car.
