Speakers

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Paul Merson

Ex-professional footballer and pundit

Paul Merson is a former professional footballer, having played for Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Aston Villa among others.

He was also capped 21 times by England, making his debut in 1991 against Germany and playing in both the 1992 Euro Championship and 1998 World Cup.

He lived life to the full during his football career, having highs and lows. However all the battles he faced on the pitch were nothing compared to those off it. His many achievements in the game were accomplished despite a long battle with alcohol, drug and gambling addictions.

He played for some of the games most well-known managers including George Graham, Bryan Robson, Graham Taylor, Harry Redknapp, Glenn Hoddle and Arsene Wenger.

When he retired from football, he carved out a successful career in the media with Sky television as a pundit on the Soccer Saturday show.

In 2019, while appearing on the documentary Harry's Heroes: The Full English, Paul opened up about how his gambling addiction had affected his life. He received praise for his candid discussion of the topic. Then, in January 2020, he spoke about how his drink, drug and gambling habits also fuelled his struggles with his mental health.

Want to ask Paul Merson a question about mental health and addiction?

We’d love you to get involved in our AGM by sending in your own video questions for him to answer on the day, live on stage at Grimsby Auditorium.

So grab your phone, take a selfie video and use the form below to send it to us! Here’s some guidance:

• Video questions must be no longer than 30 seconds
• Please stick to landscape orientation and avoid using the digital zoom, filter and flash functions
• Make sure the room you’re in is well-lit, your microphone is clear
• Put your camera at eye-level and position yourself central in the frame with your head and shoulders in the shot
• Start the video by saying hello and telling us your name and whether you’re a service user, member, staff member or something else. And speak up! Try not to mumble!
• Look directly into the camera – and smile!

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