Arabic version: ستيفن وارنوك يكشف مخاوفه من النوبات أثناء وجوده في ليفربول

According to BBC News, former Premier League footballer Stephen Warnock hid seizures from Liverpool during his time in the club’s youth setup because he feared being released.

Warnock, 44, began his career at Liverpool and made 67 appearances for the club. Speaking on 5 Live in response to an interview with Hull City midfielder Matt Crooks, who has epilepsy, he discussed his own experience of seizures publicly for the first time.

He said he suffered a handful of seizures as a youngster at Anfield and later “grew out of it”. Warnock said he was “petrified” of telling Liverpool, worrying the club would view it as a condition that could lead to his release. He also feared having a seizure on the pitch, saying there were no triggers he could identify.

Warnock said his first seizure happened at school while he was using a computer. He said he woke up in a hospital bed with no memory of what had happened, after friends told him he had started having a seizure and an ambulance was called. Following another seizure at home, he underwent CT and MRI scans. He said the episodes continued for about three years.

Warnock, who made 541 professional appearances and later played for Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Leeds United, retired in 2018. He said he has not had a seizure since he was 14, though he still worries it could happen again. He said he was fortunate not to need medication or face concerns about driving.