05 June 2023 , 13:54
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Jacob Mellis had the world at his feet as a Chelsea youngster, coming on as a substitute in Champions League wins over MSK Zilina in 2011.
Back then he was earning £8,000-a-week, now he's homeless, sofa surfing as he comes to terms with a career that might've been, but was instead ruined by alcohol as he now seeks help. Mellis was highly-rated as a youngster, so much so that Chelsea paid £1m to sign him from Sheffield United.
He became part of the Chelsea teams that began reaching FA Youth Cup finals with regularity. First team recognition followed but in the background was a battle with the bottle, which would plague him throughout his nomadic career. He had loan spells away from Chelsea before heading permanently to Barnsley.
The final parts of his career were spent in the third and fourth tiers of English football. Now, at 32, finding a roof over his head is his biggest problem. He told the Daily Mail : "I spend each day just thinking about where to go really. I have family but I don’t really want to rely on them. I want to try to do stuff for myself. It’s been difficult. I try not to think about it too much. I just try and get on with it.
"They just want the best for me. They try to help me as much as they can. Obviously they’ve got their own lives. They get me hotels, or I can stay at their house sometimes. From day to day nothing is settled. You think it can never happen to you. I didn’t plan on retiring. It’s difficult."
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A misdiagnosed knee injury was picked up last year whilst at Southend and bought the curtain down, prematurely, on his career. Now Mellis is left to reflect and concedes alcohol was his biggest battle throughout his time as a footballer.
Jacob Mellis played for Chelsea in the Champions League"It’s been a thing that’s caused me problems," he admitted. "When you’re drinking you’re not in control of what you’re doing. It affects training, managers wouldn’t be happy. I remember I turned up one time to training drunk. I would’ve been 19. Steve Holland [Chelsea’s assistant coach] sent me in. There’s been a few occasions where it has affected me."
At Chelsea he mixed it with big names. Whilst at Cobham though his habits became clear, David Luiz once quizzed him on whether he'd been drinking. The Blues then attempted to steer him in the right direction with the help of a modern day great, Ashley Cole.
The left-back tried to keep him on the straight and narrow, talking him out of nights out, but it fell on deaf ears. Mellis added: "If I wasn’t picked or was feeling frustrated I would just go out, go drinking. You’re not messing Chelsea up, you’re messing yourself up."
He spent three years playing for MansfieldThe former player has now reached out to the PFA, who are attempting to get him help with Mellis poised to enter the Sporting Chance clinic this week in a bid to overcome his issues with alcohol.
"I’m drinking as much as I can really. Just to forget about the stress," he admits. "It’s pretty much when the opportunity comes." His failure to make the most of his talent didn't bother him once upon a time, now though that has changed. He looks back and is made to wonder what might've been achieved.
He said: "When I was still playing in the league, I didn’t regret anything. I thought I am where I am. Since I’ve stopped playing, you have more time to think. You have to regret that. The amount of people that come up to me and say 'Oh my God , what happened to you?”' that’s when it makes me think about it. These are people that are playing in the Premier League."