Ireland’s Aaron Connolly opens up about alcoholism and rehab

Sunderland and Ireland forward Aaron Connolly has revealed he has battled alcoholism for several years, saying he spent a month in rehab this summer after realising the addiction was killing him.

The 24-year-old, who opened up about his alcoholism in an interview on second-tier Sunderland’s website to mark World Mental Health Day, pointed to his brilliant Premier League start when still a teenager as the beginning of his downward spiral.

“I had everything a young boy could dream...