An innocuous text message led Vincent Pericard down a road which he nearly didn't survive to see the end of.

Signed as an 18-year-old by Juventus and the subject of a documentary entitled 'The Man Who Will Be Worth Billions', Pericard ended his professional playing days at the age of just 28, having suffered various mental health issues – and two spells in prison.

Today, however, the former Portsmouth and Stoke City striker is making a new life for himself as a customer success manager for BT.