Mark Phillips, a former professional footballer who recently discovered he had ADHD all along. This overwhelming discovery has completely turned his world upside down. Phillips path has been nothing short of extraordinary over almost two decades. He’s played in seven of the top eight divisions of English football, making his debut for his boyhood club Millwall, and winning a title with Brentford in League Two in 2008/09. His journey through football has now taken an unexpected turn as he navigates life with this new knowledge.
In March, Phillips participated in a deep-dive, one hour podcast interview with a close friend. He was able to fill out about 10 questionnaires, getting information from his mom and high school transcripts. Their deep exploration of his cognitive differences elucidated barriers he encountered across his career. He went on active social media sites such as X, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to promote his experiences. These days, though, he’s fervently advocating about neurodivergence and its impacts on athletes.
A Career in Football
Football has always been a huge passion of Mark Phillips and his success in the sport story is second to none. He played almost 400 matches in total, showcasing his skill and determination across multiple leagues. His story started from South London club Millwall, where he first broke onto the scene as a teenager. This club, connected to his Caribbean upbringing, became the necessary launching pad for his future business endeavors in the industry.
Phillips had a rousing debut and soon proved very popular with the Brentford faithful. Equally, he was the standout performer that led the team to the League Two title in the 2008/09 season. To have that feeling of coming second in the EFL Trophy at Wembley. That amazing experience became a permanent part of his life story.
In the same piece reflecting on his long career, Phillips fondly reflected on his neurodivergence as something that’s always been there. He stated, “I always joked I didn’t need a manager or coach to highlight things, even though they always will. Players already know this, but as a neurodivergent, you feel it even more so.” This perspective extends to understanding the effects of neurodivergence on how an athlete plays their game. It shapes their relationships in more competitive contexts.
Discovering Neurodivergence
Phillips’ journey toward understanding his neurodivergence began unexpectedly through discussions surrounding his son’s struggles at school. While doing research on ADHD to help his kid, he realized that he recognized himself in this condition. “It actually came about through my own son’s diagnosis,” Phillips explained. “He was having a tough time at school and we were having conversations around ADHD and how that might look in my house.”
As he began to learn more about adult ADHD on social media, he began to see pieces of himself reflected in the content he was consuming. “Then I saw things on social media about adult ADHD and how that presents – and the things I was seeing made complete sense,” he noted. This intersection between individual experience and a larger conversation about mental health, stigma, and trauma has changed Philips’ life.
His official diagnosis only happened following the comprehensive evaluation we received earlier this spring. When he finally got the validation of an ADHD diagnosis of the combined type, it was like the psychic dam burst. “When I got those words ‘You’ve definitely got ADHD of the combined type’ there were floods of tears,” he recalled. “It was confirmation there was a reason why I felt the way I felt and struggled for so long.”
Coping with ADHD in Sports
Each day continues to be a learning experience, especially navigating life as an athlete and neurodivergent in these spaces. Phillips has put out some great content to illustrate how ADHD affects his everyday life and informs his experiences at a professional level. At times, he was angry and just plain tired. He likened his responses to a “Kevin and Perry-type teenager,” known for their extreme emotional temper tantrums.
I can get overwhelmed and some tasks used to make me like a Kevin and Perry-type teenager! I now understand that the overwhelm, so it’s about stepping back and being more relaxed about it with this new understanding,” he explained. When realization meets experience this emerging self-awareness has led Philips to develop coping mechanisms that enable him to navigate otherwise enervating environments more effectively.
Phillips further picked up on trends with peers from his time spent in athletes’ changing rooms. “I’ve been in changing rooms, I’ve seen the way a lot of footballers are very similar,” he remarked. He doesn’t assert that all players are neurodivergent, either. He admits that emotional reactions are likely when athletes are highly trained and all in the heat of competition.
By sharing his story, Phillips hopes to create greater awareness and inspire appreciation for neurodiversity in sports. He hopes that through candid conversations, stigmas around mental health can be destroyed. By leveraging platforms like X and Instagram (@TheNDFootballer), he connects with others who may have similar experiences or seek guidance on their journeys.
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