Connolly, who moved to Sunderland from Hull this season, has been open about his mental health struggles.
Ireland striker Aaron Connolly has earned many plaudits after reaching out to a Sunderland fan struggling with his mental health.
Offering to meet with the fan ahead of Sunderland's clash with Millwall on Saturday, Connolly said: “Big man I saw last week and I hope you’re in a better place atm. Connolly, 24, revealed that he has spent a month in a treatment clinic after struggling to cope with the pressures that came from bursting into Brighton's team in the Premier League.
"No one could tell me anything. I didn’t know how to deal with it, to be honest. I didn’t feel like I had that authoritative figure to keep me grounded. "It was obvious I had a problem with alcohol. I had my parents who never drank and would always advise me whenever I went out to stay away from it because of addiction to alcohol in my family. I didn’t listen, it got me in a lot of trouble.
"Mainly it was killing me. I had one of my best seasons at Hull at season but off the pitch my life was a mess, the manager there looked after me and always tried to help but it got to the point where my life was unmanageable.
Aaron Connolly Sunderland Football Club
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