Omar Bogle has scored nine goals in 34 games for Crewe since joining in July 2024 [Shutterstock]Dan Wheeler - BBC Sport, West Midlands; Graham McGarry - BBC Radio StokeTue, December 2, 2025 at 3:58 PM UTC·3 min readWarning: This article contains references to addiction and suicide
Crewe Alexandra manager Lee Bell says striker Omar Bogle has been "unbelievably brave" in speaking publicly about a painkiller addiction that left him feeling suicidal.
The 32-year-old forward this week told Sky Sports his reliance on the drugs developed after suffering a fracture in his back during pre-season last year.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBogle said the pain left him unable to walk, move very much or sleep properly and, although initial treatment allowed him to return to playing, when the problems worsened he took more pills which he sourced from outside the club.
The former Cardiff City and Wigan Athletic striker said that was the start of "the slippery slope".
"I got addicted fast, and I probably didn't realise how reliant I was," Bogle told Sky Sports.
"As time went on I was taking ridiculous amounts. It kept going up and up. Every few weeks I would add another one on top."
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His manager Bell has nothing but admiration for the way Bogle has recovered.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It's unbelievably brave for Omar to come out the way he has and open up about his struggles and his battles he's trying to overcome," Bell told BBC Radio Stoke.
"We had a good catch-up in the summer and he told me a little bit about what was going on.
"I think he's made an extremely brave decision to go and get the help he got and recognise that he needed it."
Bell, who signed Bogle from League Two rivals Newport County in July 2024, said he does look back with some regret on the period when the striker's problems first started.
"He's a smashing fella and I wish I'd spotted something earlier and been able to help him," he said.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"He looks in great shape and mentally looks in a good place. When he came back into the team he looked fresh and he's popular with the players and is going to be a real asset going forward.
"I hope off the back of that [speaking out] it encourages more people to speak out when they need help.
"Everybody needs some help and he did for a long time which we didn't realise."
'I think I hoped one day I would not wake up'
Bogle, who ended up scoring six goals in 32 appearances in all competitions for Crewe last season, said in his interview that his dependence on the medication "changed" him, leaving him "in darkness and depressed".
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I do not think a day went by where I didn't have suicidal thoughts," he added.
"The amount of drugs I was taking and where the addiction took me, I think subconsciously that is what I was trying to do. I hoped one day I would not wake up."
Bogle was encouraged to seek help by his agent during the summer and went into rehabilitation, which helped him to recover in time to return to first-team action for the Alex last month.
He came back in style too, scoring in the 3-1 league win over Shrewsbury Town on 8 November and twice in the Vertu Trophy victory at Burton Albion three days later.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBogle has not played since, adding he still needs time to get physically right and admitting he "did not realise during my addiction how much it was taking a toll on my body".
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC's Action Line website.
