Report: Ex-Liverpool defender Wisdom speaks out on stabbing ordeal | OneFootball

Andre Wisdom’s Journey from Anfield to FC United After Life-Changing Attack

Andre Wisdom’s story is one of perseverance, pain and perspective. The former Liverpool defender, who made 48 Premier League appearances across spells with Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City, has opened up in an emotional interview with BBC Sport about the night in June 2020 that changed the trajectory of his career forever.

Career Interrupted by Violence

Wisdom, who came through the Liverpool academy and played alongside Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, was attacked by masked men after leaving a house party during lockdown. He was stabbed multiple times in his thigh, chest, buttocks and head in what police described as an unprovoked assault and robbery.

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“I shouldn’t have been there,” Wisdom admitted. “They said: ‘Give us your watch.’ I said no and a fight started. I didn’t have time to run. I should have used my head but pride got in the way.”

The defender managed to drive himself home, calling an ambulance only after realising the extent of his injuries. Two operations were needed to repair the damage, and although he returned to play within three months, his body was never the same.

“My body just wasn’t the same,” he said. “I came back too soon. I was too eager. I wanted to be back in a football environment. I think that was me dealing with the emotion. I didn’t want to sit at home and replay all the things that happened.”

Derby Support and Emotional Recovery

Derby County, where Wisdom was playing at the time, rallied around their defender. Fans displayed a banner that read: “Andre Wisdom: we are a family, we stick together.” The gesture left him tearful and reminded him how much he was valued by the supporters.

Wisdom went on to make 40 appearances for Derby in the 2020-21 season, but his contract expired and was not renewed. Trials at Portsmouth, Birmingham and Sheffield United followed without success, leaving him searching for a route back into professional football.

New Chapter in Non-League

In September 2023, Wisdom began playing regular football again, first with Warrington Town and later with Derry City in the League of Ireland. This summer, he joined FC United of Manchester, a club owned by its supporters and competing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

“I’m really enjoying it,” he said after scoring in a 3-1 win over Whitby Town. “I’m a fan of football, it doesn’t matter to me what level I’m playing at. I’m just grateful I’m still able to play.”

Life Beyond Football

Now 32, Wisdom has also been investing in property near Liverpool and renting homes to young players at the club’s academy, including Trent Alexander-Arnold during his early career. He is working towards his UEFA B coaching badge at Liverpool’s Kirkby academy, a sign that he still feels a connection to the club where it all began.

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“I like to move on from stuff, but what happened has made me more vigilant, made me more aware of my surroundings,” he said. “Thank God I’m good and that I made it through.”

Despite the scars, both physical and emotional, Wisdom has chosen to focus on the future rather than dwell on what might have been.

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Wisdom’s words strike a chord on multiple levels. Here is a player who once looked destined for a long career at the top of English football, now reflecting with humility and gratitude simply for the chance to keep playing. His story is not just about football, but about resilience and survival.

Fans will remember Wisdom’s powerful performances in the Europa League and his composure alongside some of the club’s greats. To hear how his career was disrupted by such a violent incident is heartbreaking. The fact he drove himself home after being stabbed multiple times speaks volumes about his toughness, but also highlights the trauma he endured.

There will also be admiration for how he has rebuilt his life, choosing to stay connected to the game through coaching and property investments that support Liverpool’s next generation. It is a reminder that footballers are human beings first, and that life-changing moments can happen off the pitch.

Supporters will likely wish Wisdom every success at FC United of Manchester and in his coaching ambitions. In a football landscape that often celebrates only trophies and transfers, his story is a powerful example of perseverance and perspective and why he remains part of the Liverpool family.