I tried to end it all, reveals star Hendrie

Former Aston Villa and England midfielder Lee Hendrie, has revealed he has twice attempted to commit suicide.

Having ran up debts of more than £1 million since the property crash, Hendrie, 34, told the Sunday Mirror: “I felt I had failed my family and I wanted out... to end it all.”

Hendrie made 251 appearances for the Villans between 1995 and 2007, claiming one England cap in the process, but now plays non-league football. Despite earning up to £24,000 a week at Villa Park he has lost a fortune due to the recession.

However, he claims his fiance helped save his life while the suicide of Gary Speed, his former team-mate at Sheffield United, made him realise the damage he could have done to his loved ones.

He said: “I remember the day when he died, I just felt sick. I couldn’t believe it. I felt it could have been me. Speedo was top-drawer. I saw what happened to his wife and kids afterwards and thought about how they must be feeling.”