Ahead of our dedicated Inside Matters fixture this weekend and Mental Health Awareness Week, Max Wöber paid a special visit to the Leeds United Foundation Combat Café, to meet with a number of veterans that take part in weekly interactive sessions at Elland Road.

The Leeds United defender was on hand to discuss the important topic of mental health with the participants in attendance, having previously struggled with his own mental wellbeing early on in his footballing career.

During the sessions Max was able to share his own experiences, answering questions around the feelings he had dealt with and the coping mechanisms that had worked for him. Through the conversations that took place during the session, issues of loneliness and isolation were shared amongst the group, along with feelings of anxiety and the pressure to cope by yourself.

Speaking to the Premier League, the Austrian international said: “I think the most important thing that came from today was how they made me feel part of the group, even given everything they have been through as soldiers. I am just a footballer, but we shared a lot of the same feelings and experiences being away from family and friends and struggling with that idea of being a burden, by sharing your feelings. 

"All of us realised that as soon as we opened up, and just spoke to somebody about feeling low, that was when we started to feel better and recognise that there was a light at the end of the tunnel.”

The Combat Café is exclusively delivered for veterans and their family members, providing them with the opportunity to socialise every week whilst also enjoying various activities as a group. Each session is hosted at the stadium, and is free to attend, with breakfast sandwiches and drinks provided for all attendees. There are also monthly trips planned, as well as regular guest speakers introduced to talk about different subjects relevant to those in attendance.

The veterans that are part of the sessions are also able to benefit from the extra support offered by our partner, Sporting Force. The main aim for the programme, which has been running for almost a year, is to combat isolation and mental health issues through regular social interaction and exercise. This initiative offers local veterans the chance to bond with like-minded individuals in a controlled setting, which in turn should help improve their mental wellbeing and feeling of belonging.

If you would like any further information about the various mental health projects being delivered through the Leeds United Foundation, please contact Simon.Wood@leedsunited.com.