Chris Kirkland on addiction hell, clashing with Rafa Benitez and inside story of Liverpool transfer

Nov 14, 2025

Chris Kirkland, former Liverpool and England goalkeeper, shares his compelling journey from a dream career to battling addiction. He opens up about the challenges during his time at Sheffield Wednesday and the life-altering decisions that followed. Notably, Kirkland reflects on the emotional highs of being a Liverpool fan turned player, including his role in the 2005 Champions League victory. He emphasizes the importance of mental health and family support in recovery, urging others to seek help early in their struggles.

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ADVICE

Ask For Help Early

If you're struggling with mental health or addiction, ask for help and reach out to services or friends and family.
Use local services, tell people, and don't be ashamed because support can lift a huge weight off your shoulders.

ADVICE

Reach Out To Local Services

If you feel isolated, actively search for local mental-health or addiction services online and contact them.
Tell trusted friends or family and let them support you because many people won't get through alone.

ADVICE

Use Practical Accountability Tools

Put practical safeguards in place to stop addictive behaviour, like at-home drug tests or breathalysers.
Use daily monitoring to create accountability and reduce the chance of relapse.

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Chris Kirkland lived the dream, but the latter stages of his football career and initial years of retirement were a living nightmare.

A boyhood Liverpool supporter, the one-time England international was just 20 years old when he joined his beloved Reds and became the most expensive goalkeeper in British history in August 2001.

While untimely injuries ultimately stopped him from becoming first-choice at Liverpool, he played his part in the Reds winning the Champions League in 2005 and can look back on his Anfield career with pride.

A move to Wigan Athletic followed in 2006 and he was the Latics’ number one for four seasons in the Premier League as he enjoyed the best years of his career.

But the wheels started to come off for Kirkland after joining Sheffield Wednesday in the summer of 2012. Already battling anxiety throughout his career, it was during his time with the Owls that he first developed an addiction to painkillers that left him fearing for his life.

Ahead of the release of Kirkland’s autobiography, ‘'Keeping It Quiet' - The Chris Kirkland Story’, on November 17th, the former Liverpool shot-stopper joined Theo Squires for a special edition of the Blood Red podcast as he bravely opened up about his struggles with mental health and addiction.

The 44-year-old also reveals all about the highs and lows of his Liverpool career, including the inside story of his dream move to Anfield, his injury struggles and why a troublesome relationship with Rafa Benitez proved to be the beginning of the end for Kirkland at his boyhood club.

Chris Kirkland’s autobiography, ‘'Keeping It Quiet' - The Chris Kirkland Story’, is available from November 17. Pre-orders are available at www.curtis-sport.com.

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