Ray Parlour on Tony Adams battle against alcoholism

you mentioned there Tony Allen's maybe one of your best friends something I had always wondered about but it wasn't the right environment a couple of years ago in front of a crowd and everyone having a good time to ask you the chooser club the drinking culture would you have been aware as a good friend of Tony Adams that he was struggling with alcohol or was it very hard to even notice in that environment well I was have him a lot and what it was with Tony was a fits in his family life and he knew you know I couldn't remember half the nights what happened and you know it was it was it was it was pretty much of a nuisance when he went out and that was a real he affected other players you know the other players would just have a good drink and have a laugh and go go I'm go to but Tony would always end up falling over and he was affecting other people so I think he just comes to that point where he was only enjoying his life anymore yeah I think it was after 96 the European Championships you know it comes to that stage I think he was in tears at one stage you know he said I just can't go on like this and that's when he you know at this why I got so much respect the time I didn't respect before you know I blew movie helped me out a lot in my career certainly I've been moving for nine years but he always said that willpower to say if I'm gonna do something I make sure I'd do it and that was the day he said I'm giving up drinking I'm never gonna drink again and it was hard for him though her first two years was really difficult we never asked him out when we went out socializing because we still socialized a little bit and we went out putting at the right times then her but he wouldn't come out and he was so dedicated so right I've got a problem I'm gonna make sure I can get over this problem and he's done wonders I mean he hasn't John for 21 years which is a real you know test for him for himself to go through that what he went through and you know come out the other end and you know he's like a breath of fresh air no he's fantastic did he have to say to you guys right don't ask me at name yeah absolutely tell me all the time said right if you go now please don't bring me I said call someone's home I'm still waiting trying to move him every morning yeah I need always say where'd you go last night would you do well to get up to is a good night and but he would never go out with us and he'll probably you know further down the line when she got ahold of the the problem then he would he would not come out and he would drink of water and no problem and he could deal with the the situation in probably early in when you give up drinking he's very difficult to go out and so a mix with people having a drink around you yeah and that's what he didn't want to get involved in because he knew you maybe I have another drink and that's what he didn't want so he got over to set stage obviously went to his counseling he opened up his sporting chance clinic which was a real success for a lot of sportsmen who end up kind intellect him he can helping them out not just for alcohol for every every single like drugs gambling all them sort of thing and it helped so many people out as well sorry you know that's what he wanted to do and credit to him to have that willpower to say something and make sure he does it yeah

Channel: Off The Ball

Views: 61,807

Keywords: Arsenal, Ray Parlour, alcoholism, drinking, Tony Adams, Joe Molloy, Off The Ball

Id: FS1iOMKmhFE

Length: 2min 47sec (167 seconds)

Published: Mon Nov 13 2017