Working in small groups it encouraged the players to actively discuss the topics to decrease the stigma around something is genuinely considered private.

Hogarth, who runs several workshops around various mental health topics, said: “I’ve been involved in football as a coach for 27 years and as a counsellor I’ve worked with children and adults who have suffered with mental health. I know football is a big community and that players don’t like to talk.

“So, I set up a 10-workshop programme to deliver at football clubs to talk about the issue. We have to remember that even though players have a macho image that they still have the everyday issues of life and I think it is important to get them talking about it and to offload.”

Looking at the session he ran with the Basford players, Hogarth was impressed with how they got involved.

He said: “They were brilliant. They took it all onboard and opened up. At first they were a little nervous but they started to open up more as the time went on and they got involved with all the group tasks.”

First team boss Steve Chettle, who also watched the session, hopes that it encourages any players who are struggling to open up.

He said: “ I tried to run the session last season but Covid got in the way of us being able to do that. So after I got in touch with Roy again to set up the session I spoke to the lads and said that everyone is going to think that they are okay, but like Roy’s opening line was ‘it’s okay not to be okay’.
"So If the lads can take one thing from the talk that can help themselves or their family it’s worked.”

For those wanting to get in touch with Roy he can be found on social media @RoysTherapy or online via https://roystherapy.co.uk/

There are also several charities (some of which are listed below) that people can get in touch with if they are experiencing any mental health problems:

Mental Health Foundation
020 7803 1101

Together
020 7780 7300

Mind
0300 123 3393

Samaritans
116 123