Kicked to the Dark Side: Ex-Manchester United Star Opens Up About the Devastating Reality of Cyberbullying
Phil Jones Opens Up About the Devastating Impact of Cyberbullying on His Career
Former Manchester United star Phil Jones, 32, has spoken out about the severe effects of “electronic bullying” on his professional career, which ultimately led to his permanent retirement last month. Jones had been struggling with depression and sought medical treatment.
During an interview with The Sun, Jones revealed that he faced intense trauma after joining Manchester United at 18. He suffered a torn cartilage and was subjected to physical and electronic bullying, which included verbal attacks from fans for not participating in confrontations.
Jones explained that the cyberbullying had a profound impact on his personality, despite his attempts to ignore the hurtful words. He was particularly affected by comments about his salary from Manchester United, which he felt were unfair given his prolonged injury and treatment period. Jones chose to remain silent to protect himself and his family, which led to him and his friends avoiding social gatherings to escape the insults.
Although Jones was not active on social media, his Manchester United colleagues would inform him about the negative comments being made about him. He also experienced people whispering and pointing at him on the streets of Manchester, accusing him of being injured and only taking money from the club. Jones felt that these individuals were unaware of the immense pain he endured during his medical journey, which often left him unable to leave his house.
Jones emphasized that he had worked tirelessly to recover from his injuries with Manchester United, but his knee problems persisted, causing him significant pain whenever he played. He was forced to take strong painkillers and injections before matches, which was known to the technical staff and players.
In the latter stages of his career with Manchester United, Jones deliberately avoided training and physical therapy sessions to prevent questions about his health and career achievements. He felt that the team’s success, including the Premier League title, had become insignificant to him in recent years.