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Brit footballer who was friends with Maradona was found dead after leaving worrying notes


A BRIT footballer who was friends with Maradona was found dead after leaving worrying notes, an inquest has heard.

Martyn Gilson-Clarke, 42, moved to join Diego Maradona’s club in Argentina after the Falklands War – and was taken to dinner by the ‘Hand of God’ superstar.

An inquest heard Martyn Gilson-Clare committed suicide at homeCredit: Facebook
Martyn was part of the Falkland Island National team and also played in Argentina

He was found dead in his flat in Cheltenham Road, Gloucester, on 14th December last year, the inquest was told.

Assistant Gloucestershire Coroner Roland Wooderson said Mr Gilson-Clarke had left notes that “seem to indicate his wish to take his own life.”

He recorded a suicide conclusion.

Mr Gilson-Clarke, whose father was a Royal Marine who fought in the South Atlantic conflict, was a teenager living on the islands – known as Malvinas to the Argentinians – when he left in 1999 to play for Argentina’s Boca Juniors team.

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There he met Maradona, who took him out for a pizza and even lent him his phone so Martyn could call his Mum.

Last week’s inquest heard that Mr Gilson-Clarke had not been seen for six days before December 14 so the landlord of his ground floor flat went to make a welfare check on him. 

He found the door locked and was unable to get any response.

The landlord used his key to gain entry to the flat and found Mr Gilson-Clarke on the floor of his bedroom.

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Post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Gilson-Clarke had taken a variety of drugs and alcohol prior to death, the coroner said. 

The cause of death was given by the pathologist as ashyxia.

There were no friends or relatives of Mr Gilson-Clarke in attendance at yesterday’s inquest and no evidence was given about his background, employment or family life.

However, an obituary in an Argentinian newspaper told of his exciting career in football.

It states Mr Gilson-Clarke was born in England and moved with his family to the Malvinas Islands at a very young age. 

After standing head and shoulders above the rest while playing football on the island, he headed to mainland Argentina in 1999, when he was 19 years old, to train at Boca Juniors.

The day he arrived, he went straight from the airport to the club and was invited by Maradona to watch a match in his VIP box. 

Later, at a pizzeria, Maradona lent him his mobile phone. 

Mr Gilson-Clarke told journalists: “I called my mum. 

“I said: ‘Guess where I am?'”

In 2002 Gilson-Clarke returned to the UK and played between 2002-2004 for Brentwood FC.

You’re Not Alone

EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.

It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.

It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.

And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.

Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.

That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.

The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.

Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.

If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

  • CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
  • Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
  • Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
  • Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
  • Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
  • Movember, www.uk.movember.com
  • Anxiety UK www.anxietyuk.org.uk, 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm

A police report to the Coroner said Mr Gilson-Clarke was lying on his back when he was found. 

There was no indication of any third party involvement in his death and there were no suspicious circumstances.

Police were able to confirm identification of Mr Gilson-Clarke’s body from his driving licence, which was in the flat.

The Coroner said “I have seen a number of notes which were left. I understand what is said in those notes. I don’t intend to go through them in any detail.”

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He concluded “It is clear on the evidence that on December 14, 2022, Mr Gilson-Clarke was found deceased at his home address. D

“Notes left by the deceased seem to indicate his wish to take his own life. The approproate conclusion on the balance of probabilities is that of suicide.”


Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk


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