Former Man United and Everton star Darron Gibson opens up on his battle with sleeping pill addiction – with the ex-midfielder revealing ‘he would take 12 to 14 tablets a day’ at the height of his struggles

• The former Rep. of Ireland international was later hospitalised with a seizure 
• Admission comes after Dele Alli admitted to struggling with his own addiction 
• Follow Mail Sport’s new Man United WhatsApp channel for all the breaking news 

Former Manchester United and Everton star Darron Gibson has opened up on his battle with an addiction to sleeping pills in a new interview. 

The 36-year-old enjoyed an illustrious playing career after rising through ranks at United before promotion to the senior squad. 

Whilst his seven-year stint at Old Trafford was peppered with loan spells, the Republic of Ireland international later turned out for Everton, Sunderland, and Wigan. 

The midfielder retired in 2021 after his final season at Salford City, increasingly hampered by the injuries that had plagued his senior career. 

But Gibson revealed that retirement gave rise to a growing dependence on sleeping tablets, which saw him taking between 12 and 14 pills a day at the height of his addiction. 

Ex-Man United player Darron Gibson (right) has opened up about his sleeping pill addiction

The former Everton midfielder struggled after retiring, and at his addiction’s height, the 36-year-old was taking 12 to 14 pills a day

Gibson’s stint at Old Trafford was peppered with loan spells, including time at Royal Antwerp and Wolves

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He later suffered a seizure that saw him hospitalised, which in his words, ‘changed everything’.  

‘I don’t even think I was functioning at that point,’ Gibson told The 42. ‘Looking back at pictures, I was grey, if I had kept going I would have died. I was taking 12 to 14 sleeping tablets a night.

‘I was rushed to hospital and I didn’t mention any sleeping tablets to anyone. Danielle (Gibson’s wife) knew I took them but she had no idea to what extent. I was good at hiding it.

‘Sometimes I’d take them all at once when we’d be going to sleep and I’d say I was bringing up a drink of water for her.

‘I’m not embarrassed or ashamed to say now that I was in a bad way but in the hospital I wasn’t telling anyone.

‘They thought it was epilepsy but I knew it wasn’t. It was sleeping tablets, it had been going on for years by now.

‘The doctor rang and said my brain and heart were fine.’

Now in a much better place, Gibson also shared that it was only in the last six months that he has felt comfortable discussing his addiction with friends and family. 

Gibson shared that his wife Danielle understood he took the tablets, but to a lesser extent

Gibson is only the latest former footballer to draw attention to sleeping pill addiction – which according to recent figures from the PFA, affects around 120 current and former Premier League players. 

Everton star Dele Alli bravely discussed his personal battle with sleeping pills and his decision to go to rehab in July. 

The former Tottenham wonderkid spoke to Gary Neville and shared details about his traumatic childhood and its impact on his journey towards rehabilitation, prompting an outpouring of support from the football world. 

Gibson added that he felt ‘horrendous’ for Dele, who is now working his way back to fitness for Everton under Sean Dyche. 

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