Andre Wisdom, the former Liverpool defender, has penned a deal with League of Ireland side Derry City, following his time training with Salford City in pre-season. The 31 year old is set to stay with the club until the end of November, coinciding with the end of the Republic of Ireland season.
Wisdom is making a comeback to professional football after his departure from Derby County prior to the start of the 2021/22 season. In the summer before his exit, he was attacked and stabbed multiple times by men in balaclavas on Beaumont Street in Toxteth.
The assault took place early on a Sunday as Wisdom was leaving a party. Despite managing to drive home, he required an ambulance and underwent surgery, resulting in a three-night hospital stay.
He returned to play for Derby in the following season but admitted that the incident had changed him, acknowledging he "wasn't the same" on the pitch. After his contract with Derby ended, Wisdom was without a team for two years, despite trialling with clubs like Birmingham City, Portsmouth, Sheffield United, and Warta Poznan in Poland.
His journey back to football began last September with National League North side Warrington Town, where he played until the end of the season. Now, Wisdom has secured a full-time return to the sport with Derry City.
Former Liverpool academy star Wisdom, who was snapped up from Bradford City at the tender age of 14 for a record fee at that level, has opened up about his journey back to football. After playing 22 times for Liverpool's first team and earning ten caps for England U21s, Wisdom's career took an unexpected turn.
Speaking to the BBC about his return to the sport after a decade, Wisdom shared, "The will was always there, " but admitted, "But it felt like it wasn't the way at times." He continued: "Perseverance, mindset, keeping going. You've got to keep training. It's led me here. I'm quite proud of myself for getting back into full-time football. I can now say again I have a job."
Wisdom also expressed his optimism: "I always say, why not? Any opportunity is a good opportunity, especially in football. I've had a while out of football because of things that happened off the pitch. I'm fit and raring to go, I've done a full pre-season, and I'm grateful for the opportunity."
In a candid conversation with the Derry Journal, he described his recovery from a traumatic incident as a "difficult process" He recounted, "I was playing for Derby at the time. I got stabbed numerous amount of times. It was a bit overwhelming but I just took myself away from football."
He elaborated on his hiatus, saying: "I had finished at Derby at the end of that season, so I took myself away from football for a little while - probably about 16 months, something like that. I went away and got my mind and my body right, and then just started training again. I took it from there really."
"Things happen in life, good things and bad things, and it was just unfortunate for me that it affected my livelihood and my job but I'm also grateful. My life is the most important thing and I'm happy for that. For me now, playing football is a luxury."
"It's just repetition with football. Once you know you're fit and your body is not going to break down - I always say there is fit, and then there's football fit, so to get that repetition into my legs, my body and my lungs again was great. Now I've done a full pre-season back over in England with Salford. I'm rarin' to go and feel as good as ever. I'm 31 but I feel 26 or 27."
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