Former Blackpool, Aston Villa, Derby and Stoke midfielder opens up on mental health struggles

In a candid interview with The Guardian, Hendrie revealed a tale of bankruptcy, life support machines and suicide attempts.

The midfielder, who celebrates his 43rd birthday today, will appear on our screens for the next three nights in the second series of Harry’s Heroes.

Hendrie, who made six appearances for the Seasiders during a loan spell in 2008, told The Guardian: “I end up drinking, but there’s nothing worse than taking alcohol and getting to the extreme levels where you don’t care at all.

“When that happens I’m at my most vulnerable and think it may be time to do something. The last time was a year and a half ago.

“The good thing is that now, when I’m low, it’s nowhere near the extremes of what I did when times were very, very dark.”

An example of these dark times came in August 2010, when Hendrie’s £10m property portfolio was struggling.

“The football was almost over and my head was gone,” he added.

“I’d been trying to sell property but the housing market crashed. I got to the stage where I just wanted to end it all. I’d hit rock bottom.

“I vaguely remember bits of the ambulance ride. It was very blurred. But one thing that really stood out was waking up. It was horrible.

“I didn’t like the fact I was still alive. There were lots of worries. ‘Am I going to a psychiatric ward because I’ve done this?’ But, most of all, I was thinking: ‘I’m going to do this again. I want to be free of everything.’

“My wife went through an awful lot. She’s seen me on life-support machines. She’s seen me in distress and pain.

"But it’s hard to explain when you can’t reach out to someone. I was a closed book.

“I still am to a certain extent. But if I’d had that confidence to reach out to someone, I’m pretty sure I’d be telling you a different story.”

Hendrie, who was capped by England in 1998, described a second suicide attempt in July 2011.

“I was adamant I was going to do it,” he said.