Ex-Premier League star opens up on sleeping pill addiction that ‘destroyed my relationship with my kids’

Jonjo Shelvey has spoken candidly about his addiction to sleeping pills.

The former Newcastle star lifted the lid on how the habit ruined his relationship with his three children.

The 33-year-old is best known for his time at Newcastle, while also enjoying spells with Charlton, Liverpool, Swansea and Nottingham Forest.

The midfielder also lined up for Turkish sides Caykur Rizespor and Eyupsor.

Shelvey’s downfall

Shelvey opened up on his addiction on an episode of Undr the Cosh and revealed how being without his family during his spell in Turkey led to his downfall.

“I went to Turkey for 18 months and lived by myself and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” the former England international said.

“I ended up becoming addicted to sleeping tablets because I’d just got home from training and to pass time. I’d think, ‘what am I going to do now?’

“I was in a city that was a Muslim-orientated city. There were like three restaurants. To pass time I’d just end up taking three or four sleeping tablets and I’d pass out until the next morning for training.”

Asked why he opted to take the tablets, Shelvey said: “Just to pass the time.”

The presenter further probed saying: “And it’d become an addiction. Just an escape?”

Shelvey replied: “Yeah, and then I moved to Istanbul. Istanbul was a bit more vibrant city.

“You could go out and… But I was there by myself again. So I’m not one to go out by myself. I hate being alone.

undr the cosh

“I thought to myself, if I could go one way or the other, I could go and drink myself to pass time. Drink’s no good for a footballer. It’s not a good tool.

“But I thought instead of drinking I’d carry on with the sleeping tablets. So that would be a way of passing my time.

“Do you know what I mean? So I’m not putting on fat drinking pints in a pub. So I’d go back to my apartment to train, sleeping tablets.”

Shelvey’s day-to-day structure

He then described his daily schedule.

Shelvey said: “I’d get home at one, half one, three o’clock. I’d have a bit of food, and that’d be my last meal.

“And then I’d take three or four sleeping tablets and then wake up about 12 o’clock at night, pop three or four more.

instagram / @arabianfalconsfcae

“And then wake up for training the next day. To be honest, it destroyed my relationship with my kids.”

The midfielder then claimed that access to sleeping pills is easy for footballers and revealed that they can be acquired from club doctors.

However, Shelvey obtained his pills via an online website whilst he was living in Turkey.

But it was the support of his wife that helped him break his addiction and repair his relationship with his children.

Nowadays, Shelvey plays his football in Dubai with lower league club Arabian Falcons where he earns around £2,000 a month.