'I played for Liverpool under Klopp but retired at 25 to paint and fly planes'
Joe Maguire played one game for Liverpool after coming through the club's academy, but quit football at the age of 25 after it became "toxic" and made him feel "like a slave to the job".
Maguire joined Liverpool's academy at under-nine level and made his debut at the age of 19, with Jurgen Klopp giving him an opportunity off the bench in an FA Cup tie against Exeter City in 2016. However, his brief cameo in the 2-2 draw was his only appearance for the Reds, with Maguire an unused substitute for the replay before being released a year later.
The defender went on to have spells at Fleetwood, Crawley, Accrington Stanley and Tranmere, before quitting football last year when Tranmere released him. Reflecting on his career after leaving Anfield, Maguire told the Athletic : "It gets so toxic with players who don't play and managers who don't speak to them — or who speak to them like s*** without any respect.
"That's where I clashed with managers. If someone speaks to me a certain way, I bite back. You come from Liverpool, where it's one massive unit of players and staff who want to do well for each other, then you go somewhere else and it's very different personalities, lots of cliques, and it just feels toxic."
Since leaving football, Maguire has started his own business, gone travelling, taken flying lessons and enjoys spending time painting. "My mum and my sister paint and it's always been something I enjoy," he added.
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"I did art at A level and I invest in artwork and stuff like that. I've always been into different things as well as football. My uncle flies planes, which is how I got into flying. I love hearing about other careers and industries because in the football world, you're so sheltered."
Maguire said he found himself "not wanting to be there" after leaving Liverpool and struggled with alcohol. He ended up calling the Professional Footballers' Association's emergency helpline and started seeing a psychologist, ultimately coming to the conclusion that he needed to quit football.
"I wasn't having the career I wanted, but I would blame other things because I never wanted to accept football could be the reason," he explained. "And that's when I got to the point where I felt, 'Let’s leave'.
"I only had a year at Tranmere anyway, so I would leave, take a few months out, enjoy the summer, and see how I felt. And if I didn't miss football and if I started to feel happier in my life, then it would be clear that football was making me unhappy and I would walk away."
And since doing that, Maguire feels like he is "in control of my life for the first time in years", admitting: "People imagine football must be the most perfect job in the world. And it can be amazing. But that doesn't mean it can't get you down. It's not as shiny as it looks. It's not always a nice environment."
If you're struggling with mental health, you can call on 116 123 or email . They're free, they're confidential, and they're always open.
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