Episode 30
30 - Broken Bones, Unbreakable Spirit: The Haydn Tear Story - Part 1
Chasing the Dream: Haydn Tear’s Journey from Pro Football Hopeful to Life-Changing Injury
In this first part of a powerful three-part series, I’m joined by Haydn Tear - a Level 3 coach with a remarkable story. From a young boy dreaming of becoming a professional footballer to earning a coveted scholarship at Lincoln City, Haydn was living the dream. But everything changed in a split second with one devastating injury.
We talk about his early passion for football, the intense pressures of academy life, and the sacrifices he made chasing the dream. This is an inspiring and emotional story of ambition, discipline, and the moment that turned it all upside down.
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Transcript
Welcome to happiness, health and relationships podcast.
Speaker:If you're looking for inspiration on powerful healthy habits, you've come to the right place.
Speaker:I'm Angeline and I've been working with people in therapy for over 10 years.
Speaker:And this podcast will help cut through the myths and misinformation on healthy lifestyle.
Speaker:I'll be interviewing experts in their field,
Speaker:providing top tips and motivation for six elements of living medicine.
Speaker:The six elements are reducing stress, exercise and fitness, nutrition, sleep,
Speaker:reducing addictive substances, and how to master healthy relationships.
Speaker:Let's get started.
Speaker:I'm super excited today to welcome Haydn Tear.
Speaker:Haydn's a level three coach at a local gym here that I go to.
Speaker:And I'm just really looking forward to getting into his story today.
Speaker:He's got an absolutely inspirational story of aspirations of becoming a footballer
Speaker:and went through some enormous challenges,
Speaker:which we're going to really get into details of today.
Speaker:So thanks so much for coming and sharing your story with us, Haydn.
Speaker:It's been a journey to say the least, hasn't it?
Speaker:So welcome, first of all.
Speaker:Thank you very much for having me.
Speaker:Obviously, very excited, like I was saying to off the recording,
Speaker:something I haven't really spoken about too much before in the depths we're going to go into.
Speaker:So it's going to be definitely exciting one for sure.
Speaker:And hopefully a lot of people will relate to the story as well of coming
Speaker:past the adversity and the challenges I've faced in the position I am now.
Speaker:So very excited to get going.
Speaker:Okay, well, take us back then to the beginning.
Speaker:How did your love for football start?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So I'd say my older brother, he was very much into football.
Speaker:He's four years older than me.
Speaker:So even in the garden down the local playing field, we'd always be playing football.
Speaker:And I think that's probably where it mainly started from just kicking a ball around of him
Speaker:and then joining a few local teams and getting to football that way.
Speaker:One of the first teams I was out was Cato and Fulbert.
Speaker:And that was a really good sort of introduction to football,
Speaker:going through sort of the younger age groups.
Speaker:And yeah, that sort of kickstarted it from playing with my brother,
Speaker:playing with my dad at the park to then going into a football team.
Speaker:And that step up was obviously for me at that age was
Speaker:really exciting for me to get playing in a football team, get playing some matches.
Speaker:And ultimately, I started off pretty well.
Speaker:I had some good ability, was scoring plenty of goals at that age, which is always fun.
Speaker:And that sort of led me into having a few opportunities at Lincoln City
Speaker:to join their under nine team.
Speaker:Now, originally, I didn't actually get accepted.
Speaker:I got almost turned down to start off with in terms of being scouted into their academy.
Speaker:And then I think it was a few months later, they actually turned around to me and said,
Speaker:come and see you again for almost like a second opportunity.
Speaker:And that's when actually I got brought into the academy setup.
Speaker:So that was about eight years old going into Lincoln City's academy,
Speaker:which obviously for me at that age, probably didn't quite realise the magnitude of it.
Speaker:But obviously that looking back now is a massive thing to be scouted by a
Speaker:professional football club at that age and joining their academy.
Speaker:So that's sort of the iniTearl phases of my journey and where it all started.
Speaker:Absolutely.
Speaker:So what level of excitement was there at that point?
Speaker:So you're saying that, you know, it didn't really dawn on you the magnitude of that
Speaker:at the time, but what did it feel like at the time?
Speaker:I think for me, it was a sense of just real pride and excitement to be in that environment as well,
Speaker:because obviously it's such a bigger scale than your local football club.
Speaker:And almost at that age, yeah, you're in your little bubble.
Speaker:So at school, you were then like the football kid who was playing at
Speaker:a professional football environment at Lincoln City.
Speaker:And yeah, so it was just a bit of excitement, a little bit of nerves as well going into it.
Speaker:So obviously it's a step up, but the whole environment that you're in and
Speaker:the coaching you got and everything, I think just pure excitement and
Speaker:optimism for the future and what could potenTearlly happen.
Speaker:And again, it's one of those, like I said,
Speaker:you don't realise the process until you're in it, until you look back at it.
Speaker:But no, just a very excited kid, just wanting to play football, really.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So what were your hopes and dreams at that point?
Speaker:Well, you know, what aspirations did you have?
Speaker:Yeah. So I think as most young boys, most of the time they get into football,
Speaker:their dream is always to make it as a professional footballer.
Speaker:Again, being such a young age,
Speaker:you don't really realise the commitment and how tough it will be.
Speaker:So for me, it was just a case of every single year trying to play my best football,
Speaker:listen to the coaches, take on board all their advice.
Speaker:With obviously that dream outcome as you start getting a little bit older,
Speaker:going into your teenage years and realising,
Speaker:you know what, I could be a professional footballer here,
Speaker:like the potenTearl for this to go into being a career is there.
Speaker:So I think definitely towards my teenage years,
Speaker:when I started understanding football a little bit more,
Speaker:understanding the levels, that was wholeheartedly the outcome for me.
Speaker:Everything was going to go into football
Speaker:and that was where my dream was set on in terms of becoming a professional footballer.
Speaker:How old were you then when that started to really dawn on you
Speaker:and that you became quite focused?
Speaker:Yeah, so I'd say, like I said, probably early teenage years
Speaker:was the time where I started to understand the process of it
Speaker:and what I was actually involved in.
Speaker:And it wasn't now just about playing football.
Speaker:It was, right, this is every single year,
Speaker:if I don't perform, I'm going to get released out of this club.
Speaker:I'm going to go back into my local team.
Speaker:So every year was a case of, right, I've got to do my absolute best
Speaker:and show up as my absolute best self to get another contract on a year-to-year basis.
Speaker:And then I think it was around 15,
Speaker:I actually got invited to go and play for the youth team.
Speaker:So the youth team is when you turn 16 to 18,
Speaker:so a two-year group or two-age group.
Speaker:And at that point, being 15 and going to play with kids
Speaker:who are two, three years older than you,
Speaker:at that time, you start being around a place
Speaker:where that's a full-time environment,
Speaker:as in the youth team becomes a full-time football commitment.
Speaker:And then at that point, I actually, there was one specific game
Speaker:where I played for the under-18s and I scored in it.
Speaker:And then that was on the Saturday.
Speaker:On the Monday, I got pulled into the first team manager's office.
Speaker:And at the time, if you're into football and you've seen Lincoln City,
Speaker:that was Danny and Nicky Cowley.
Speaker:So obviously one of the two very successful managers
Speaker:in the last 10 years at Lincoln.
Speaker:And they basically turned around to me and said that
Speaker:we're going to offer you a scholarship.
Speaker:And that scholarship offer was made about 18 months early.
Speaker:So you normally get it made when you, at the end of you're in the 16 group,
Speaker:I got it made to me around midway through my under-15s.
Speaker:So at that point, speaking to the first team manager,
Speaker:who was like, I see him every weekend when I go and watch the first team,
Speaker:actually being in the room and he knows who I am,
Speaker:I know who he is and him having given me the offer
Speaker:and opportunity to sign a scholarship and go into full-time football
Speaker:from the age of 16 early.
Speaker:That was a big moment for me in terms of,
Speaker:wow, okay, this is really serious now.
Speaker:This could be an exciting start of a professional career
Speaker:in full-time football.
Speaker:So I'd say definitely at that point was the turning point.
Speaker:So what I was hearing there is a lot of pressure actually,
Speaker:you know, for a young teenager
Speaker:and then getting through to your mid-teens,
Speaker:a lot of pressure from year to year,
Speaker:that contract, trying to get that contract renewed.
Speaker:But then, you know, huge euphoria, I suppose,
Speaker:at the prospect of, you know, that's huge, isn't it?
Speaker:Like you say, and yeah, I can remember though,
Speaker:when the Cowley brothers were there,
Speaker:you know, Lincoln was really put on the map actually,
Speaker:you know, the team were doing so well.
Speaker:And it was the beginning of the stadium being filled
Speaker:every week as well, wasn't it?
Speaker:There was huge excitement around Lincoln City at the time.
Speaker:So yeah, I can imagine, you know, how huge that was really.
Speaker:So what other highlights then would you describe?
Speaker:Any other highlights of your football career?
Speaker:Yeah, so I'd definitely obviously say that point there
Speaker:when I was offered that scholarship opportunity
Speaker:to go into a full-time sort of football environment.
Speaker:And then from that point at 16, when I was at Lincoln,
Speaker:we won the National Cup.
Speaker:So that was a big achievement.
Speaker:And then actually my school football team as well,
Speaker:we managed to win National Cup as well.
Speaker:So I won two National Cups in the space of about six months apart
Speaker:where we're both finals.
Speaker:And so obviously at that stage in my footballing journey
Speaker:to win two national trophies was a big achievement.
Speaker:I think as well, when you go into that scholarship environment,
Speaker:you're then in and around the first team.
Speaker:So you're playing with players who have got established careers in football,
Speaker:who have gone on to some players and are playing in even the Premier League.
Speaker:So being around them and training with them at times
Speaker:up at the first team training ground,
Speaker:that was a massive highlight as well.
Speaker:Just to almost get that glimpse of living the dream
Speaker:in terms of being in and around the first team,
Speaker:training every single day, playing football, doing what you love.
Speaker:And then the other big one I'd say was
Speaker:when I was actually in the youth team, in the scholarship group,
Speaker:we had a pretty good FA Youth Cup run.
Speaker:Now the FA Youth Cup, for anybody who's not sure,
Speaker:is the under-18 version of the FA Cup.
Speaker:So a big tournament and actually managed to play
Speaker:I think four games in that competition, won all four games.
Speaker:And then the fifth round, we got knocked out in the fifth round.
Speaker:So yeah, at that point, it was just a dream come true
Speaker:to be in that environment, around first team players,
Speaker:in a professional club, playing football every single day.
Speaker:I mean, I can only imagine the excitement really.
Speaker:I guess the other thing that I'm thinking is,
Speaker:were there sacrifices?
Speaker:You know, growing up, teenager, your mates are going out.
Speaker:You know, what was that like for you?
Speaker:Did you have to miss out on things, did you feel?
Speaker:Or what did that feel like at the time?
Speaker:Yeah, 100%.
Speaker:I think with the level you were at in the professional environment,
Speaker:100% there were sacrifices made,
Speaker:especially as you start getting 17, 18 years old,
Speaker:your mates are starting to go out more, house parties,
Speaker:going into town, wherever that might be.
Speaker:And at that point, you know, I'd say no,
Speaker:in terms of I play a game on a Saturday morning,
Speaker:friends want to go out on a Friday night
Speaker:and go have a few drinks, go and do whatever.
Speaker:And for me, it was a case of actually no, I can't do that.
Speaker:Because again, you're working towards a goal.
Speaker:You're working towards that dream outcome
Speaker:of finally being a professional footballer.
Speaker:So you just had to fully commit to it.
Speaker:So sacrificing, things like that.
Speaker:I actually, for a period of time, moved away from home.
Speaker:I actually went up to live with the other lads in my football team
Speaker:in almost digs, if you want to call it that.
Speaker:Just so I was in that environment constantly.
Speaker:So moving out of home at 15, 16 years old,
Speaker:that was a step in itself.
Speaker:A bit more independence and a little bit more
Speaker:reliability on myself to get me through the days.
Speaker:But 100%, I think at that stage,
Speaker:if you weren't willing to sacrifice things,
Speaker:you were going to almost get left behind.
Speaker:If you're wanting to go out with your mates
Speaker:and then turn up to training and you feel rough
Speaker:and you can't perform very well,
Speaker:you're going to get caught out at some point.
Speaker:So yeah, I think that age group, especially
Speaker:because your mates are starting to go out,
Speaker:it's a little bit more sociable.
Speaker:There was times where, yeah, you're like,
Speaker:I wish I could go out, but you have the bigger picture
Speaker:and you realize that if I'm going to get there,
Speaker:I've got to sacrifice a few things.
Speaker:That requires a level of maturity though, doesn't it really?
Speaker:In a way, you maybe had to grow up a little bit early there.
Speaker:Is that fair to say?
Speaker:Or what would you say about that?
Speaker:Yeah, 100%, definitely.
Speaker:And just the standard that the environment was.
Speaker:So obviously being in that level,
Speaker:Lincoln City were now a League One club,
Speaker:so getting higher up the football pyramid
Speaker:and the demand and the standard
Speaker:that was set on a day-to-day basis by the coaching staff,
Speaker:you had to become mature as an individual.
Speaker:Your mindset had to shift because like I said,
Speaker:if you weren't, okay, you might have the football ability,
Speaker:but if your mindset and discipline and your maturity
Speaker:wasn't on a level as well, it's a massive factor.
Speaker:And that could be a point where actually they release you
Speaker:and they say, unfortunately, your maturity level
Speaker:isn't quite where you want it to be.
Speaker:Your discipline isn't quite there.
Speaker:So you could be an amazing footballer,
Speaker:but you see it happen to plenty of footballers
Speaker:when they go out partying and all of a sudden
Speaker:their life falls away from them.
Speaker:Even though they're an amazing footballer,
Speaker:if you haven't got that emotional side
Speaker:and maturity side to you,
Speaker:you're setting yourself up for a tough time, I'd say.
Speaker:Just a brief interruption here.
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Speaker:Now back to the episode, let's dive in.
Speaker:You've got to really want it, I think, haven't you?
Speaker:You've got, you know, we only really do anything
Speaker:because we believe we're going to be happier
Speaker:in having all the doing of it.
Speaker:So I think, you know, you've got to really want it, haven't you?
Speaker:So, okay.
Speaker:So what was that like then when you first moved out,
Speaker:you know, and had to sort of grow up quite quickly?
Speaker:You know, what were those challenges, I guess, at that time?
Speaker:Yeah, so I think it was a case of,
Speaker:so in my, from under 9s to under 16s,
Speaker:I was with the same group of lads the whole way through.
Speaker:And then my, I was actually the only one
Speaker:who got offered a scholarship to go into the youth team
Speaker:from my age group.
Speaker:So I was moving in with people who were from London,
Speaker:were from a few lads from Ireland, Brighton.
Speaker:And it's a case of getting thrown into the unknown.
Speaker:You don't know who they are.
Speaker:You're trying to form friendships, relationships.
Speaker:You're now living in a house with them.
Speaker:You're now got to make sure you get your own food.
Speaker:There's a lot more independence on yourself.
Speaker:And it's almost a case of just trying to not fit in,
Speaker:but give yourself the best opportunity
Speaker:of building relationships
Speaker:and getting used to having the relationships there.
Speaker:Then also being independent
Speaker:and making sure you've got a lot more responsibility now.
Speaker:So you've got to get all your clothes washed.
Speaker:You've got to make sure all your food is done.
Speaker:You've got to make sure everything is ready to go.
Speaker:Your bags are packed.
Speaker:And just having that again,
Speaker:that next level of independence
Speaker:makes you a little bit more mature as well.
Speaker:So I think that the challenges
Speaker:were just being in a whole new environment
Speaker:with whole new people who you didn't have a clue
Speaker:who they were iniTearlly.
Speaker:And then just trying to take on that independence of,
Speaker:you know, nobody's helping you out here.
Speaker:You've got to do it or it's not getting done essenTearlly.
Speaker:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker:Anything else then that you want to say about that period
Speaker:before we move on to the shocking event,
Speaker:if you like, that really turned your world upside down?
Speaker:So is there anything else that you want to touch on
Speaker:before we sort of get to that bit?
Speaker:No, I think that covers most of it for now
Speaker:in terms of just, you know,
Speaker:when you get the opportunity
Speaker:and you're in full-time football now
Speaker:and you're so close to the first team,
Speaker:it becomes a real reality.
Speaker:And your excitement and belief
Speaker:and your confidence is through the roof
Speaker:and you're within touching point of it.
Speaker:So when we talk about the next thing,
Speaker:you will see how much of an impact it has
Speaker:on just your confidence and your outlook and everything.
Speaker:So yeah, I think at that point,
Speaker:scholarship, I was now in full-time football,
Speaker:excitement was very optimistic.
Speaker:The potenTearl was there.
Speaker:And then obviously we'll go on to the next point, I'm sure.
Speaker:Yeah, I mean, it really sounds like
Speaker:that your level was really there.
Speaker:You know, you were the only one
Speaker:that was offered that scholarship.
Speaker:It really sounds like your potenTearl was very real.
Speaker:Okay, so can you share the moment
Speaker:when your injury happened
Speaker:and what was going through your mind?
Speaker:Yeah, so essenTearlly, like I said,
Speaker:the scholarship was a two-year period
Speaker:from 16 years old to 18 years old.
Speaker:At the end of that period,
Speaker:it's either you get a professional contract,
Speaker:you are now a professional footballer
Speaker:or you get released and you get moved on.
Speaker:So it was literally two, three months
Speaker:into the start of that two-year period.
Speaker:It was a friendly game against a men's team.
Speaker:So we were playing fully grown adults.
Speaker:I was 16 at the time.
Speaker:And I remember I'd not long come on the pitch.
Speaker:So I started on the bench, unfortunately,
Speaker:where Kane came on.
Speaker:And I've received the ball
Speaker:and I've just had an absolute wild tackle
Speaker:from my right side, right into the side of my leg.
Speaker:And unfortunately, at that point,
Speaker:my foot was pretty much planted.
Speaker:So in the end, I go down immediately.
Speaker:I'm waving to the bench
Speaker:because I know something's not right.
Speaker:I look at my leg and not the most peasant sight to see.
Speaker:And at that point, I know something's seriously wrong
Speaker:because I don't normally go down
Speaker:and roll around on the pitch.
Speaker:But I knew at that point,
Speaker:something wasn't right at all.
Speaker:Yeah. I mean, at that point,
Speaker:what's going through your mind?
Speaker:Is it that you're still hopeful
Speaker:that it's an injury, that it will be okay?
Speaker:I guess, you know, at that point,
Speaker:you're probably still thinking that.
Speaker:Yeah. Is that fair to say?
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah, 100%.
Speaker:I think when it happened, obviously,
Speaker:yeah, you know someone's not quite right,
Speaker:but you're not sure on what's actually gone on.
Speaker:You can't tell what 100% has happened.
Speaker:So at that point,
Speaker:I think I was a bit more like a shock to the system
Speaker:and sort of disbelief of what has just happened.
Speaker:And at that point, to be honest,
Speaker:I was straight on the gas and air
Speaker:and whatnot they gave me.
Speaker:So I was probably a bit zoned out iniTearlly.
Speaker:But yeah, I think you realise something's not quite right,
Speaker:but you don't know the extent of it
Speaker:until obviously you get to hospital
Speaker:and you have your x-rays and everything.
Speaker:And it turns out that obviously it is pretty bad.
Speaker:That's the end of part one
Speaker:in our three-part series with Haydn Teer.
Speaker:Tune in next week
Speaker:where we continue this inspiring conversation
Speaker:and hear how Haydn came through these difficult times.
