Former Wrexham AFC youngster Hari Roberts has called for greater mental-health support for players released by football clubs after revealing the personal impact of missing out on a professional contract.
Former Wrexham AFC player Hari Roberts is urging football clubs to offer more support to academy players who are released without professional contracts.
Roberts joined Wrexham when he was 14 and spent years working toward a career in professional football. He played for Wales at youth level, but his hopes were dashed at 18 when the club told him he would not get a professional contract.
Roberts told BBC Wales the news was a “big shock to the system” and shared how being released affected his mental health. Football had given him focus and structure, so losing that path left him facing a lot of uncertainty.
Wrexham let Roberts go in May 2025. Along with the disappointment of not getting a contract, he had to look for a new job and try to find another club.
Thousands of young players spend much of their childhood chasing a professional career, but only a few actually get senior contracts. For released players, the change is about more than finding a new team. They can lose their daily routines, friends, and sense of identity, while also facing the fact that their lifelong dream might not come true.
Roberts believes existing player-care programmes do not always provide enough assistance to help youngsters process such a dramatic change. He said many released players struggle privately with the emotional consequences of rejection and require more structured support when leaving clubs.
Running played a key role in Roberts’ recovery. Exercise helped him clear his mind and slowly regain his confidence after a very tough time. After finishing the London Marathon, Roberts went to Australia to run the Sydney Marathon. He used the race to raise money for Sport in Mind, a charity that encourages people to use exercise to support their mental and physical health.
Roberts said finishing the London Marathon was a symbol of his resilience, recovery, and journey to find himself again. He has now applied to run the Tokyo Marathon with his brother as he works toward completing all the world’s major marathons.
He thanks his family, GP, and psychologist for helping him recover, along with the positive effects of fitness and running. Now, Roberts wants to use his experience to help others who may be struggling in silence and show that things can get better with the right support.
In response, Wrexham said its academy culture focuses on development, accountability, and care. The club admitted that not every academy player will become a professional and said it aims to develop good people as well as skilled players.
Wrexham also told the BBC that its responsibility does not end right away when a young player leaves. The club’s player-care officer stays in touch with former players for three years after they go.
That policy provides an important foundation, but Roberts’ story shows why the football world must keep examining how it treats released academy players.
