John Hartson’s wife looks after his money earned working as a pundit due to his crippling gambling addiction
Former Arsenal star revealed he was shocked into changing his ways after Sarah revealed she was leaving him
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JOHN HARTSON has revealed his wife looks after all the money he earns working as a pundit due to his crippling gambling addiction.
The former Arsenal star, 43, struggled with gambling during a dark 20-year period, leaving him at "rock bottom";.
But Hartson emotionally revealed he was shocked into changing his ways after his wife Sarah revealed she was leaving him and taking their three children with her.
At its peak, the 51-cap Wales international claimed he was losing "tens of thousands" at a time - only fuelled by his shock battle with cancer in 2009, a year after retiring from football.
Now seven years clean, Hartson has revealed all, saying: “I hit rock bottom seven years ago. I let my gambling get out of control and it really got a grip of me.
“I’d just come out of hospital a few years earlier and was gambling heavily.
“Then Sarah packed her bags. She said she thought the world of me and loved me but couldn’t hang around anymore and watch me go through what I was going through.
“Sarah said she was going up to her parents because she could no longer live like this. That was maybe the 20th warning I got.
“But the moment when I saw her bags were packed and her flights were booked, that was my rock bottom.
"I’ve heard it said since that a lot of people need to hit rock bottom to come out of it."
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Hartson went on to say he's had to make a number of changes in order to steer clear of gambling... including giving up control of his own money.
The Welshman added: “It’s a commitment, an attitude, a life-changer.
"It’s not just stopping gambling, it’s giving up your money and getting a loved one or a member of your family to look after the money you earn.
“I’ve done 500 shows in the last seven years and haven’t seen a penny because my wife looks after my affairs.
“I wouldn’t be living in the house I’ve got, driving the car I do or have my finances in place if it wasn’t for my wife. I would have either been dead or in jail.
“Sarah deals with everything now and it’s working. Why would I want to change that?
“Why would you want to carry £2000 around in your pocket? It was only gambling money.
"Now, I have £40 or £50 for a bag of chips and a can of Coke and I’ll put a bit of petrol in my car.
“How much do you actually need? That is the way I live my life now.”