Former Premier League footballer Stephen Warnock has revealed that he concealed having seizures during his time in Liverpool's youth setup out of fear that the club would release him. The 44-year-old, who made 541 appearances across his professional career and now works as a pundit for 5 Live, opened up about his past medical struggles for the very first time following an interview with Hull City midfielder Matt Crooks, who has epilepsy.
Warnock, who went on to make 67 senior appearances for Liverpool, explained that he experienced a handful of seizures as a young player at Anfield before eventually growing out of them. Describing his deep reluctance to alert the coaching staff, Warnock admitted he was terrified of jeopardising his future at the club. "I was petrified of telling Liverpool because I was worried of being released," he said. "Because I was thinking 'if they think I've got a condition they will release me'. 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."
The defender, whose career also featured spells at Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, and Leeds United, recalled that his first seizure occurred at school while sitting at a computer. After blacking out, he woke up in a hospital bed following an ambulance call made by his friends, admitting he felt embarrassed because nobody around him knew about the condition. A subsequent seizure at home led to CT and MRI scans during a period of uncertainty that lasted approximately three years. In the UK, epilepsy affects roughly one in 100 people, and charity Epilepsy Action notes that the brain condition in children is frequently identified after one or more seizures, which can be managed, prevented, or reduced through carefully monitored medication.
Warnock ultimately brought his playing career to a close when he retired from football in 2018. While he has not suffered a seizure since the age of 14, he admitted that he still carries a lingering concern about an episode happening again. "I was in a fortunate position where I grew out of it," Warnock said. "I didn't have to go on medication or worry about driving a car or things like that. It's the first time I've ever really spoken about it."