Manchester City did not give ‘right support’ to teenager, inquest hears

Ateenager who took his own life nearly two years after he was released by Manchester City did not feel he received the “right support” from the football club after he received a significant injury, an inquest has heard.Jeremy Wisten, 18, signed by the Premier League champions at the age of 13, was found hanged at his family home in Wythenshawe Manchester on October 24 last year.The Malawi-born centre-back, who wished to emulate his idol, Vincent Kompany sustained ligament damage to his left knee in January 2018 that kept him from playing for five months.Later that year, in December 2018, a decision was made by City’s academy to release him, Manchester Coroner’s Court was told.Giving evidence at Monday’s hearing, his father, Manila, said his son failed to find a new club after City let him go and he thought the two main factors were the injury and the club’s lack of support.City’s academy director, Jason Wilcox, a former England international, told Manchester Area Coroner Zak Golombeck that the injury played no part in the decision and that, as far he knew, information would have been passed to the youngster and his family about his footballing career options.Mr Wisten said: “He personally did not believe he was receiving the right support at Manchester City to find a new club.”The family agreed he should concentrate on his forthcoming GCSE exams rather than attend a Premier League residential course in April 2019 but he said that following the exams there was “really nothing much going on in trying to get a new club”.It is a case that City should have done more, I know they have done more for othersHe said there was interest shown by Bolton Wanderers and Cardiff City, and an email was sent to all clubs in the country that contained video footage, but he explained that contained no meaningful action from 2018 because his son was injured for most of the time.Mr Wisten said: “I don’t think that was a marketing video, I think that was a ticking of the box.

It is a case that City should have done more, I know they have done more for others.”He said he was assured City would arrange matches in which his son would play and clubs would come to watch but that did not