Luke Chadwick On Manchester United, Mental Health And Making Lasting Memories In Football | OneFootball

Your new book, Not Just a Pretty Face: Football, Fun and Despair, has just been released. With everything you’ve experienced in the game – from Manchester United to playing in the Football League – why did now feel like the right time to tell your story and what can fans expect from the book?

“I remember some years ago just having the idea of putting the book together. It took a bit of persuading, to be fair, but my co-author Mathew Mann convinced me to do it.

“There’s always a bit of fear in your mind about releasing a book and having your story out there. But it was a process that I really enjoyed, and we were really happy with the outcome.

“I think what fans can expect from the book is a really honest account of a footballing career. I don’t see myself as a world-class player by any means, but I was very lucky to have a career in the game that took me to one of the biggest clubs in the world and through the footballing pyramid, with loads of ups and downs along the way.

“The book is a brutally honest account of the reality of an ex-footballer’s journey, both in and out of football. Like I say, we’re really pleased with the finished article.”

When you think back to your early years growing up in Cambridgeshire before making the leap to Manchester United, how did that move to Old Trafford materialise, and with the benefit of hindsight, how do you assess your time at the club, both on and off the pitch?

“Yeah, well, it all started with a local scout called Ray who had an impact on my career. I spent some time up there [at Manchester United] and fell in love with the way you were made to feel the environment, the culture I was exposed to.

“When they offered me the opportunity to sign schoolboy forms, I jumped at the chance. From there, I finished school, moved up to Manchester at 16 as an apprentice, spent two years in the youth setup, then went on loan to Royal Antwerp. I came back, probably not expecting t,o but ended up being in and around the first team.

“It was an incredible journey. At the time, you probably don’t appreciate it as much as a young lad coming through, but when I look back now and realise the size and scale of the club I had the opportunity to play for – even just a few games – it’s something I’m very proud of. The lessons I learned at Manchester United stood me in good stead for the rest of my career, and life in general, really.

“Even now, when I go back to Old Trafford and see the stadium, I find it unbelievable that I was once a player at that club, even if only for a short time. I absolutely loved my time there. Of course, there were challenges – as there are at every club – but the fact that I represented such a great club is something I look back on with great pride.”

“It was really intense. We were in training every day, and it was a very demanding environment. You had to be on top of your game constantly. I remember at the end of the season I spent in and around the first team, I was absolutely exhausted — physically and mentally — just from how much you had to put into training daily.

“Being around the players you mentioned – and many others – was such a great learning tool. As a winger at the time, learning from the likes of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs was invaluable. Even though I didn’t have a long or glittering career at Manchester United, I was able to take what I learned from those players and apply it to the rest of my career.

“And not just in terms of football but also in terms of how they carried themselves, how hard they worked, how they treated people. That was just as important as their ability. For young players like myself coming through, we could learn so much from them.”

During your time at United, you also represented the England Under-21s. How proud are you of that achievement, and who were some of the players you played alongside?

“I am really proud of that achievement. Howard Wilkinson was the manager at the time. He took me up to the Under-21s before I’d even kicked a ball in the first team, I think. I don’t think anyone knew who I was when I went into that squad, but he gave me the opportunity.

“I was in the squad alongside players such as Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, which was a great experience in itself.

“Then, to be stood on the pitch, lined up as a squad, listening to the national anthem – that’s every player’s dream. I never really expected to represent my country, so to have the chance to do it at the under-18 and under-21 levels was a massive thrill. Playing with such a fantastic squad and traveling across Europe for those games was a real buzz.”

I’m interested in getting your perspective on your loan spell at Royal Antwerp. What was it like going abroad at such a young age? You won the second division while you were there. How did you adapt to the new surroundings?

“At the time, I wasn’t particularly close to the first team at United, and the club hadn’t had a great start to the season, so they thought the best option was to send me out on loan for first-team experience.

“When the chance came to go to Royal Antwerp, I jumped at it. A couple of my teammates from the youth team were already out there. I went over during the Christmas period to watch a game, and the atmosphere at the Bosuil Stadium was electric. I was really excited to get out there and get on the pitch.

“I had a positive start as I came on as a substitute on my home debut and scored. The fans then sang my name, which was the first time I’d ever experienced that. It gave me a massive confidence boost. That whole experience, I think, was crucial. If I hadn’t had that successful period in Belgium, I’m not sure I’d have gone on to play for Manchester United or even have a career in football.

“It was also hugely important for life skills – living in another country, learning to look after yourself in a different environment. It was invaluable, both from a footballing and a personal perspective.”

One of the things you don’t shy away from in the book is the toll that being in the spotlight took on your mental health because while you were at Manchester United, the media often focused on your physical appearance rather than your footballing ability. You open up in the book about experiencing depression and anxiety. How did you cope, and how proud are you of how you came through that?

“Yeah, it’s something I didn’t deal with well at all at the time. I was just a kid at Manchester United, and quite naively, I thought everything I did would not be judged based on how I looked rather than how I played football. I found that really hard.

“I felt huge amounts of embarrassment and shame, and I didn’t know how to talk about it. I didn’t open up. At 19 or 20, I just suffered in silence.

“However, looking back now, it taught me so many lessons about mental health, about the importance of being open and vulnerable. At the time, I thought showing vulnerability was weakness. I had that internal voice saying, ‘Keep it to yourself and it’ll go away eventually.’ But it doesn’t.

“It wasn’t until I left Manchester United and got away from the media scrutiny that I was able to grow as a human being, to become more open, and to see that vulnerability is actually a strength. You’ve got to accept that you’re struggling and be willing to talk about it.”

“Representing my hometown club, Cambridge United. That was the dream for me growing up and watching them play, and falling in love with the club. To actually make that happen, even though the club wasn’t as strong as it had been in the past, was something I’m really proud of.

“I was also part of the squad that got promoted back to the Football League after a long spell in non-league, and that meant a huge amount to me. To be able to represent the club I supported as a kid, that was probably the proudest moment of my career.”

Finally, Luke, you discuss Dion Dublin as your footballing hero in the book, and he also wrote the foreword for you. What was it like playing alongside him and getting to know him, especially as a Cambridge lad yourself?

“Yeah, that was a dream come true. As you say, Dion was and still is a hero of mine. He was part of that hugely successful Cambridge United team – probably the best team the club’s ever had. So, to end up on the same pitch, in the same dressing room as him towards the end of his career, was incredible.

“They say never meet your heroes, but that wasn’t the case with Dion. He’s a wonderful human being – hardworking, humble, and a great person to be around. I think I probably annoyed him asking about his time at Cambridge United and getting old shirts signed!

“It was a real honour to play alongside him. I was also there for his final game at Hillsborough against Sheffield Wednesday. He received a standing ovation from the whole stadium, which was so deserved. To have been part of that was a real highlight of my career.”