Ex-Arsenal defender Kenny Sansom opens up on his fight against alcoholism

Kenny Sansom during his playing days

Former Arsenal defender Kenny Sansom, admitting to his battle against alcoholism after his retirement from professional football, revealed that the Professional Footballers’ Association is helping him in getting back to his best life.

Sansom, from being addicted to drinking eight or nine bottles of wine a day, has been temperate in the use of liquor for more than a month now after soliciting assistance from the PFA.

The 54-year-old, who has 86 international caps for England, was quoted as saying by Sky News: “When you come to the end of your career, you obviously have more time on your hands. You drink three or four times a week, then it becomes every day, and at one stage I was drinking eight or nine bottles of wine a day.

“I was drinking to forget problems and I didn’t mind sleeping rough because I’d get miserably drunk and then just fall asleep somewhere on a park bench.

“I can’t really say I will never drink again because I’ll not only be kidding people watching this but I’d be kidding myself.

“I take one day at a time and today I don’t want a drink.”