Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has disclosed that he concealed seizures from the club during his youth due to a fear of being released. Warnock, who played 67 times for Liverpool, shared that he suffered from epileptic fits as a youngster but did not understand the cause.
Speaking to 5 Live, Warnock stated, "I was petrified of telling Liverpool because I was worried about being released. Because I was thinking 'if they think I've got a condition they will release me." He added, "I was worried about being on the pitch and it happens. There were no triggers for me, I never knew what triggered it. That was what petrified me."
Warnock experienced seizures for approximately three years. He recalled waking up in a hospital bed without memory of how he got there, only to be told by friends that he had been having a seizure and an ambulance had been called. He expressed embarrassment, as he was unaware of his condition and no one else knew about it.
The former defender eventually outgrew the condition and has not had a seizure since he was 14. "I was in a fortunate position where I grew out of it," he said. "I didn't have to go on medication or worry about driving a car or things like that."
After leaving Liverpool in 2007, Warnock went on to play for clubs including Aston Villa, Leeds, and Derby. Since retiring from playing in 2018, he has transitioned into broadcasting, appearing as a pundit on channels such as the BBC, Sky Sports, BT Sport, NBC, and DAZN.
