FORMER Scotland star Garry O’Connor has revealed how his love for his children saved him after he contemplated suicide.
The striker, who grew up in Port Seton, was tipped as one of Scottish football’s great hopes when he broke into the Hibernian first team as a teenager in 2001.
A big money move to Lokomotiv Moscow followed and the frontman would go on to win 16 caps for Scotland, finding the net four times for his country.
However, O'Connor's career failed to reach the heights that many expected, with off-the-field incidents attracting media attention.
Now, the 37-year-old tells his story in Playing The Game: Garry O’Connor, which is broadcast this evening (Tuesday).
The 30-minute documentary, which is shown on BBC Scotland at 10pm, looks at him becoming an object of media scrutiny after a failed drugs test and the loss of his fortune.
The Easter Road favourite candidly details his struggle with drugs, injuries and money, and provides a unique insight into the glitz, glamour and depression that marked his career.
The documentary also features contributions from a range of players and managers connected to O'Connor's career, including John ‘Yogi’ Hughes, Donald Park and Ian Murray, who give their perspective on the star’s meteoric rise and his dramatic fall.
Finally, O'Connor, who now lives in North Berwick, acknowledges that he must ignore his critics and focus on his future, including his son Josh, who has started his career by following in his father’s footsteps and joining the Hibs youth team.
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