Warnock hid seizures from Liverpool as a youngster

Published1 November 2026

Former Premier League footballer Stephen Warnock says he hid his seizures from Liverpool as a youngster because he feared he would be released.

The 44-year-old, who works as a pundit for 5 Live, started his career in Liverpool's youth setup, before going on to make 67 appearances for the club.

Speaking on 5 Live in response to an interview with Hull City midfielder Matt Crooks, who has epilepsy, Warnock opened up about his own experience of seizures for the first time.

Warnock says he suffered a handful of them while he was a youngster at Anfield, before he "grew out of it".

"I was petrified of telling Liverpool because I was worried of being released," said Warnock.

"Because I was thinking 'if they think I've got a condition they will release me'.

"I was worried about being on the pitch and it happens. There were no triggers for me, I never knew what triggered it. That was what petrified me."

Epilepsy is a brain condition that affects around one in 100 people in the UK.

According to charity Epilepsy Action, epilepsy in children is often identified when a child has one or more seizures.

Medications can reduce or prevent epileptic seizures but they need careful management.

Warnock, who later had spells at Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Leeds United, experienced his first seizure at school.

"I was at a computer and then I woke up in a hospital bed. And I was like 'wow, how have I got here?'. I didn't remember anything, I completely blacked out," he said.

"My friends told me I started having a seizure. Obviously an ambulance was called and I was taken to a hospital bed.

"I was embarrassed to be honest, because no-one else had it, no-one knew about it, I didn't know about it until it happened."

Warnock says after he experienced another seizure in his house, he was sent for CT and MRI scans.

"It went on for three years or so," he added.

Warnock, who retired from football in 2018, says he has not had a seizure since the age of 14 but he still worries about it happening again.

"I was in a fortunate position where I grew out of it," he said.

"I didn't have to go on medication or worry about driving a car or things like that. It's the first time I've ever really spoken about it."

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