Lee Collins death: Campaign to boost PFA help for footballers gains pace

Lee Collins had a 14-year career in the Football League and National League

A friend and ex-teammate of former Yeovil Town captain Lee Collins said a campaign to improve support for players is "only gathering momentum".

Collins, who had a 14-year professional football career, died aged 32 in March.

Ex-players including Adam Yates have called on the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) to review its wellbeing service.

The PFA said it was "committed to continually improving education and wellbeing support" for its members.

Yates, who played with Collins at Port Vale, said although the PFA offers support, it could be improved.

Collins was found dead in a hotel room after not turning up for training. His inquest heard he had been struggling with with injuries and personal problems, including the recent breakdown of his relationship.

Tributes were left outside Yeovil Town's Huish Park ground after Mr Collins' death was announced

Yates said the PFA should pay for ex-footballers to be based at clubs so they can "look for the signs" and offer players advice and support.

"What we want is someone on the ground, someone who understands the players, that understands what they're going through," Yates said.

"Simple things like coming to the end of a contract can be on a player's mind - that doesn't mean that they're not ready to play.

"But an accumulation of worries and issues obviously build up and that's what happened with Lee.

"The PFA won't stop everybody going through really tough periods of time but they can help people who are."

Adam Yates played at clubs including Port Vale and Crewe during his career

In a statement, the PFA said: "We have identified a wide range of football-specific areas that can adversely impact a player's mental health.

"We are committed to continually improving our education and wellbeing support, which also includes evaluating the way football as a whole support players.

"Our thoughts remain with Lee's family, friends and teammates and we will continue to offer support to all those affected by Lee's passing."

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, there are details of organisations that offer advice and support at BBC Action Line.