A career unfulfilled - Ex-Juventus, Portsmouth and Stoke striker Vincent Pericard on prison, depression, injury and suicidal thoughts

Pompey's Vincent Pericard reflects on another injury setback during a career which never fulfilled its potential. Picture: Steve Reid

‘I was caught speeding while driving to training. I already had nine points and faced a ban, so lied and claimed my step-father was at the wheel,’ the 37-year-old told The News.

‘The police investigated, trying to get in touch with my family in France to check the story, without success.

‘Then my step-father, being a Christian, woke up one morning and decided he could no longer bear lying to God, so called the police.

‘He admitted he hadn’t been in England for more than 15 years. I was sentenced to four months in prison.’

As a 19-year-old, Pericard’s Juventus team-mates consisted of such international luminaries as Zinedine Zidane, Edgar Davids, Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram, Pavel Nedved, David Trezeguet and Alessandro Del Piero.

A decade later, burdened by no longer able to do himself justice in non-league surrounds and suffering from mental health issues, the striker announced his retirement.

Despite the former France under-21 international twice winning promotion from the Championship and featuring at Premier League level, his was a career unfulfilled.

Vincent Pericard tussles with Spurs' Jermaine Jenas at White Hart Lane in December 2005 during Harry Redknapp's first match back with Pompey. Picture: Matt Scott-Joynt

He added: ‘When I retired from football I went through a major reflection on how I went from playing alongside Zidane to 10 years later having to retire – the main factor was my mental health.

‘Had I received the help I needed, my career would probably have been different, I could have made other decisions, learnt how to handle criticism instead of taking it personally and shutting down. I had depression, but didn’t realise.

‘It didn’t begin like that. I had my career vision set on Italy and progressing into Juventus’ first-team. I appeared in the Champions League – then things changed.

‘There were three of us, all from France, given an Italian tutor by the club. I texted her one weekend asking what she was up to and whether she fancied going for a drink with us.

After football, Vincent Pericard entered education, studying at the University of Portsmouth and also becoming student ambassador. Picture: Sarah Standing

‘It was an amicable request, no agenda, very polite. She had been good to us, we saw her once a week to learn Italian, so it’s good to be friends outside our normal environment.

‘Little did I know that she was the mistress of a married Juventus director. When she received the text, they were together in the bedroom or whatever. Listen, don’t mess with Italian men’s women!

‘We hurt his pride – and the three of us were immediately sent out on loan. I went to Pompey. None of us played for Juventus again.