Yet another story of a faded dream. Ruined career in the making Jacob Mellis has nothing now, but long ago…
Just nineteen years, tread the fields of the most coveted of all competitions. Listening to that magical symphony and dreaming of holding the cup with big ears. Nottingham native, Jacob Mellis felt these emotions, coming on in added time for a Chelsea-Zilina, in the 2010/2011 season. Coming out of the academy of the blues, not even twenty, he was making something like half a million a year. But life is unpredictable and today that prodigy boy has nothing left. Injuries have affected his career, yes, but alcohol and club nights have helped to precipitate a career that many predicted bright.
Today Jacob is 32 years old and lives leaning in the living rooms of acquaintances and family members, after squandering his fortune and having to say goodbye to football. His last experience was in Southendin the fourth division. Jacob told how his addiction to alcohol dates back to his youth and how many of his former classmates tried to straighten him out, but without success. Today, however, addiction has not yet abandoned him and for this reason Mellis launched an SOS, a cry for help collected by the Professional Footballers Association.