Andre Wisdom, a former Liverpool defender, now plays in the seventh tier after a life-altering stabbing incident in 2020. Despite physical and emotional scars, he displays remarkable resilience, finding joy in football with FC United of Manchester while pursuing coaching aspirations and property investments.
Andre Wisdom's journey is a stark reminder of how quickly a career can change. Once a promising defender at Liverpool, playing alongside legends like Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, Wisdom now finds himself in the seventh tier of English football with FC United of Manchester. His story is not just about the highs and lows of professional sports, but also about resilience in the face of a life-altering event.
Wisdom's career took a dramatic turn on a night in June 2020. After playing for Derby County, he visited family in Liverpool. In the early hours of the morning, after leaving a house party, he was attacked by masked men and stabbed multiple times. The incident left him with physical and emotional scars that would forever alter his path.
"Who knows where I'd be playing today had I not been stabbed," Wisdom reflects. "I wouldn't say that night ruined my career, but it definitely changed it."
Wisdom's journey began at Liverpool's academy, where he rose through the ranks to make 22 appearances for the first team. His debut, a memorable goal against Young Boys in the Europa League, seemed to herald a bright future. But after loan spells and a permanent move to Derby County in 2017, his career trajectory was unexpectedly disrupted.
The attack occurred while Wisdom was visiting family in Liverpool. He was set upon by several masked men who stole his designer watch. The physical wounds were severe, requiring surgery and a period of recovery. But the psychological impact was equally profound.
"I shouldn't have been there," Wisdom admits, referring to the house party. Lockdown restrictions were in place, and he acknowledges that he should have been recovering after a game. "I was leaving the party by myself, walking to my car. I was on the street, and there were about five guys, balaclavas and knives. They said: 'Give us your watch.' I said no, and a fight started."
Wisdom describes the chaotic scene, the adrenaline masking the severity of his injuries. "I was able to drive home, which was about a 15-20 minute journey. Adrenalin probably kept me going, but only when I was home did I realise I'd been stabbed multiple times. I checked my thigh, and the muscle was almost hanging out of the wound."
The support from Derby County was immense. The club released a statement condemning the attack, and fans rallied around Wisdom, creating a banner that read: 'Andre Wisdom: we are a family, we stick together.' This gesture touched Wisdom deeply, providing him with strength during a difficult time.
Despite the support, Wisdom's return to football was challenging. He made a substitute appearance for Derby just three months after the attack, but he knew his body wasn't the same. "My body just wasn't the same," he says. "It was frustrating. I wasn't getting the same output in power and speed."
After his contract with Derby expired in 2021, Wisdom faced further setbacks. Trials at other clubs didn't lead to anything permanent, and he began to realise that his professional career in England was coming to an end. "Doctors say I have severe nerve damage down my left side as a result of what happened. I was stabbed in my head, and today I still get headaches. It seems like a piece of me is gone. I get dull aches, it's borderline pain."
Today, Wisdom plays for FC United of Manchester in the seventh tier of English football. While it's a far cry from the Premier League, he approaches the game with the same passion and dedication. He's also pursuing his Uefa B coaching badge at Liverpool's academy, hinting at a potential future in coaching.
Wisdom's story is not just about the attack, but also about his resilience, his ability to adapt, and his determination to find joy in football, no matter the level. He has also invested in several houses near Liverpool over the years, which he has rented out to Liverpool FC for their younger players to use.
"I'm a fan of football, it doesn't matter to me what level I'm playing at," Wisdom says. "I'm just grateful I'm still able to play."
His attackers have never been caught, and Wisdom said, "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,"
Wisdom said that the emotional toll has taken it's tole on him as well. "There were some days [during recovery] when I just stayed in my room all day, other days when I was a bit more: 'Hello, how is everyone doing?'"
Despite everything he has been through, he refuses to dwell on his life-changing experience five years ago.