'a Piece Of Me Is Gone' - Ex-liverpool Defender Wisdom On Being Stabbed

Warning: This article contains references to violence

"Who knows wherever I'd beryllium playing coming had I not been stabbed," says erstwhile Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom.

"I wouldn't opportunity that nighttime ruined my career, but it decidedly changed it."

After coming done nan Reds academy to play 22 times for nan first team, alongside nine greats Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, Wisdom near to subordinate Derby County successful 2017.

Three years later, while visiting family successful Liverpool, he was stabbed.

Wsidom was attacked by respective masked men who stole his designer watch aft he near a location statement successful nan early hours of nan morning.

Following surgery, nan defender recovered to play again for nan Rams - but heavy down he knew his profession would ne'er beryllium nan aforesaid again.

He was released by Derby successful 2021 earlier having tests astatine Portsmouth, Birmingham and Sheffield United.

But it was not until September 2023 that he started playing regular shot again astatine non-league Warrington Town, followed by a spell astatine Derry City successful nan League of Ireland past season.

Thirteen years aft scoring connected his Liverpool debut, external against Swiss nine Young Boys successful nan Europa League astatine nan property of 19, Wisdom now appears for part-time FC United of Manchester successful nan seventh tier of English football.

"To this time I still person symptom successful my assemblage from being stabbed," nan erstwhile England Under-21 skipper tells BBC Sport.

Wisdom is brutally honorable erstwhile he talks astir nan events that unfolded successful nan early hours of 28 June, 2020.

"I shouldn't person been there," he says astir nan location statement he attended successful Liverpool.

Lockdown restrictions were successful spot and pubs and restaurants closed owed to Covid-19.

Hours earlier, Wisdom had played alongside Wayne Rooney successful Derby's 2-1 triumph complete Reading successful nan Championship astatine an quiet Pride Park, a consequence that near Phillip Cocu's broadside 3 points extracurricular nan play-off places pinch 7 games left.

"I should person been astatine location recovering aft nan game, but it was lockdown and I was eager to beryllium outside," adds Wisdom, who joined Derby from Liverpool for £4.5m.

"I was leaving nan statement by myself, stepping to my car. I was connected nan thoroughfare and location were astir 5 guys, balaclavas and knives. They said: 'Give america your watch.' I said nary and a conflict started.

"I didn't person clip to run. I should person utilized my caput but pridefulness sewage successful nan way.

"Loads of group came retired of nan statement aft astir 5 minutes of fighting. The attackers ran disconnected and I was near covered successful humor connected nan street. Everything happened really quickly.

"I was capable to thrust home, which was astir a 15-20 infinitesimal journey. Adrenalin astir apt kept maine going but only erstwhile I was location did I realise I'd been stabbed aggregate times. I checked my thigh and nan musculus was almost hanging retired of nan wound.

"That's erstwhile I phoned for an ambulance."

As good arsenic his near thigh, Wisdom had besides been stabbed successful nan head, hips and chest.

"Derby County tin corroborate that Andre Wisdom has been nan unfortunate of an unprovoked battle and robbery," publication a club statement, external 2 days later.

"He sustained injuries which resulted successful him being admitted to hospital, wherever he is successful a unchangeable condition. Merseyside Police are investigating and nan nine will attraction its efforts connected supporting Andre and his family."

The Rams rallied astir their celebrated player, whom fans had grown to emotion ever since he first turned retired for nan nine while connected indebtedness from Liverpool successful 2013-14.

During that season, Wisdom knowledgeable a sat-nav nonaccomplishment that saw his Porsche get stuck successful a ditch, external connected nan measurement to nan ground.

At nan adjacent location game, Derby fans sang: "Andre Wisdom, he parks wherever he wants."

After he was attacked successful 2020, supporters raised thousands of pounds for a immense banner to beryllium displayed wrong Pride Park during matches, which read: 'Andre Wisdom: we are a family, we instrumentality together.'

"I sewage a spot tearful astir that," he says, reminiscing.

Wisdom, who dreamed of becoming a footballer arsenic a kid increasing up successful Chapeltown, Leeds, needed 2 operations to hole his wounds.

Remarkably, he was backmost playing for Derby wrong 3 months of nan attack.

On 5 September 2020 - 69 days aft he was stabbed - Wisdom made an 85th-minute substitute quality successful a League Cup necktie against Barrow.

His conflict to flooded nan physical, affectional and intelligence trauma of his ordeal was lauded by his club.

But Wisdom had doubts arsenic to whether he would ever return to highest fittingness and form.

"My assemblage conscionable wasn't nan same," he adds. "It was frustrating. I wasn't getting nan aforesaid output successful powerfulness and speed.

"I came backmost excessively soon. I was excessively eager, I wanted to beryllium backmost successful a shot environment.

"I deliberation that was maine dealing pinch nan emotion. I didn't want to beryllium astatine location and replay each nan things that happened."

Wisdom went connected to make 40 convention and cup appearances for Derby nan pursuing season, but his four-year statement - which expired successful June 2021 - was not renewed.

By then, Rooney had been appointed head aft Cocu was sacked 3 months into nan season. The Rams were a messiness financially and adjacent to entering administration.

After Derby, Wisdom had tests astatine respective clubs. The past 28-year-old was hopeless to get his profession backmost connected track.

"I drove from my location adjacent Liverpool to play 1 crippled for Portsmouth, but I didn't perceive thing back. I conscionable wanted to play football."

Despite his champion efforts to put nan events of 2020 down him, Wisdom - who made a full of 48 Premier League quality for Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion (loan) and Norwich City (loan) - knew his profession arsenic a master subordinate successful England was beautiful overmuch over.

"Doctors opportunity I person terrible nervus harm down my near broadside arsenic a consequence of what happened. I was stabbed successful my caput and coming I still get headaches. It seems for illustration a portion of maine is gone. I get dull aches, it's borderline pain."

The affectional effect has besides taken its toll.

"There were immoderate days [during recovery] erstwhile I conscionable stayed successful my room each day, different days erstwhile I was a spot more: 'Hello, really is everyone doing?'

"When I spell done thing successful life, immoderate it is, I effort to spell done it connected my ain and woody pinch things.

"Even though I knew I had support, I didn't look for it because fundamentally it's my life, my assemblage and my experience."

Wisdom, whose profession besides includes 1 play connected indebtedness successful Austria pinch Red Bull Salzburg, says he has changed arsenic a person.

"I for illustration to move connected from stuff, but what happened has made maine much vigilant, made maine much alert of my surroundings."

Yet contempt everything he has been through, he refuses to dwell connected his life-changing acquisition 5 years ago.

"I was successful nan incorrect spot astatine nan incorrect time," says Wisdom. "It happens everywhere.

"Thank God I'm bully and that I made it through."

His attackers person ne'er been caught.

While nan scars connected his assemblage service arsenic a imperishable reminder of what happened to him successful 2020, Wisdom, 32, looks to nan early pinch positivity.

He has a passion for spot and has invested successful respective houses adjacent Liverpool complete nan years, which he has rented retired to Liverpool FC for their younger players to use.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid successful nan summer, stayed successful 1 of Wisdom's houses earlier he collapsed into Liverpool's first team.

Has Wisdom, who was astatine Liverpool from nan property of 14, been backmost to Anfield to watch nan Reds play since he near successful 2017 astatine nan property of 24?

"No, but I've conscionable started doing my Uefa B coaching badge astatine Liverpool's academy successful Kirkby. It's bully because location are group location who still retrieve me."

Today, he is contented pinch playing earlier crowds of 1,500-2,000 astatine FC United of Manchester successful nan Northern Premier League Premier Division, the nine he joined successful nan summer., external

On Saturday, FC United big section rivals Chadderton successful nan 2nd qualifying information of nan FA Cup. If they triumph that, Wisdom and his team-mates will beryllium 2 victories from nan first information proper.

"I'm really enjoying it," says nan scorer of FC United's 3rd extremity successful a 3-1 location triumph complete Whitby Town connected 19 August.

FC United of Manchester is owned by its fans and presently has 2,000-plus members, including Manchester United fable Eric Cantona and his family.

"I'm a instrumentality of football, it doesn't matter to maine what level I'm playing at," adds Wisdom. "I'm conscionable grateful I'm still capable to play."

If you, aliases personification you know, person been affected by immoderate issues raised successful this article, support and accusation is disposable at BBC Action Line.