Tom Davies "grateful" for recent injuries as ex-Everton man man prepares for big Sheffield United return

As the words tumble out of his mouth, Tom Davies acknowledges it may come across as a strange position for a footballer to take. “It might sound a bit controversial to say, because you want to be playing football,” the Sheffield United midfielder admitted. “But I’m very grateful for the injuries I’ve had. It’s given me a lot of time to reflect on the life choices I was making.

“The stress and situations where I was probably not coping in the best way. Keeping my emotions to myself, and trying to shoulder everything. Because since 17 years old, that’s what I’ve been doing, being part of this ‘man’s game’. So I think it’s given me a lot of time to reflect on that. Luckily enough, I’ve got a decent platform and the club is great with stuff like this, where I can speak out and use that platform.”

“This” is a visit to 84 John Street, a stone’s throw from United’s Bramall Lane stadium, to mark international men’s day and also men’s mental health month. Davies, the former Everton man and England U21 international, has been open and honest about his own mental health in the past but as he nears full fitness ahead of a return to the Blades squad, he admits he has never been happier.

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“I’ve played football for the majority of my life and that’s been a big outlet for me,” the 26-year-old said. “To be part of a team and express myself within a team. As I grew older, it become a bit more serious. It wasn’t just for fun anymore; it was a bit more competitive and it actually mattered a lot more because it could become a job. And then a lot of pressure came on that side of things, with performance and fans and trying to impress managers and be part of different teams with different cultures.

“So I think for me it was a lot to take in, especially at my age. When I first started playing I was turning 17 and 18, playing with men that were in their thirties and coming toward the end of their careers. So I was kind of thrusted into that environment and it was a ‘get on with it’ sort of situation. As a human being, you maybe go through 10, 15 or 20 different emotions throughout the day and as a footballer, maybe even more. Going through training, losses, big ups and downs.

“I always thought I couldn’t be seen to be down because I’m a footballer and I’ve got the best job in the world and get paid really well to do it. And having to be that robotic way is not the case. So I think now, when I speak about it, it sometimes comes across like I’m still struggling. But I’ve got to say, this is the happiest I’ve ever been. My life now compared to how I was going through injuries and stuff like that, it’s night and day really.”

Davies, who joined United last summer after turning down the chance to stay with his boyhood club Everton, made only a handful of appearances as fitness issues first delayed his campaign and then curtailed it prematurely. He visited a specialist in Germany over the summer in a bid to get over the troublesome hamstring injury that had affected him and is now ready for selection again after building up his fitness with a mini-pre-season programme with the club’s U21 side.

“It’s incredible that as a team, we spend so many hours together, days and weeks and months, but we don’t ever speak past the surface-level things, really. About football or about our game. I spend more time with the team sometimes than I do with my partner at home and it’s really important that we try and connect on a bigger level. I’m happy to do that and guys are getting more open to talking about things.

“I think the one place it’s been hard is when I have spoken out about things in the media and it’s been received - not in a way that something is wrong with me, but in a way that it doesn’t fully feel accepted. It’s kind of like: ‘Oh, he’s struggling again.’ When, like I’ve said, this is the happiest I’ve been and I’m really proud of the progress I’ve made. And I’m really excited to see where this will take me in the next six months, or the next year or wherever.”

*Suicide is the biggest killer in the UK for men under 50. A talk club is hosted at Bramall Lane every Wednesday evening, between 6-8pm, at the Blades Family Hub, S2 4QX. Help is also available via outlets such as Andy’s Man Club while the Samaritans are also here when life gets difficult – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at [email protected], or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.