Former Arsenal star, Paul Merson’s gambling and drink addiction is nothing new, however, a clearly emotional Merse opened up on why he recently fell off the wagon again.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he even detailed a time when, playing for Aston Villa, he wanted to break his own fingers so that he didn’t pick up the phone to place any more bets.
For all of the stigma around those who suffer from addiction, Merson sought to set the record straight, and anyone listening couldn’t fail to be moved by his words.
“I thought I was a bad person trying to be good, but I was ill trying to get well.”
“At Aston Villa I wanted to break my fingers to stop myself.”
“You can be the richest or the poorest person, it can take anybody.”
An emotional Paul Merson opens up on his battle with addiction pic.twitter.com/ovu11Kgid1
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) September 20, 2021