Andy Carroll cancels occasion as a result of ‘unexpected circumstances’ after revealing he was assaulted
Andy Carroll revealed that he was sexually assaulted in a ‘traumatic’ attack, with the footballer now cancelling an event hours before it was due to take place
Former England footballer Andy Carroll cancelled a book signing
Andy Carroll has cancelled a book signing and question and answer session at Dagenham Football Club just hours before the event was due to take place. The footballer was due to be attending his own event later this evening.
Carroll’s £22 book was released today. In it, he opened up about how he was sexually assaulted in a “traumatic” attack. The footballer, 37, who now plays for National League South side Dagenham and Redbridge, revealed he “can’t forget” the harrowing ordeal, in the new book titled Owning It.
After “avoiding his publisher for so long”, Carroll said he decided “at the last minute” to waive his anonymity and write about the attack in the hopes it might help others. In the book, the former England international said: “Other things I’d quite like to forget but can’t…
Andy Carroll said he discussed revealing his story with girlfriend Lou Teasdale
“Something happened to me a few years ago that was so traumatic I only decided to include it in this book at the very last minute. I was sexually assaulted, there I said it. Scary to even think about and only a few people knew about it before now.
“Me and Lou spent a lot of time discussing whether to mention it in this book or not. I avoided my publisher for so long that they probably suspected I got cold feet.
“Scary to talk about but it’s made the person I am today as much as any of the good stuff. And if me talking about it helps just one person then good it will have been worth it.”
Now, it was reported by the Daily Mail that the star pulled out of the event.
It was due to begin at 7pm at Dagenham & Redbridge FC, Victoria Road Stadium, the event included a book signing and live Q&A.
Andy was set to “speak candidly” about the “pain of leaving his boyhood club and his then high profile and highly emotional return”.
With the tickets priced at £10, he posted to his Instagram two weeks ago: “I’ll be at Victoria Road Stadium sharing stories from my life on and off the pitch and answering your questions. It’ll be a chance to have a proper chat, look back at the journey so far and spend an evening together.”
Carroll hopes his story will help others(Image: Getty Images)
The club has confirmed it had been cancelled “due to unforeseen circumstances’ and that ticket holders would be refunded.
Carroll’s attacker was found guilty of sexual offences and sentenced to three years in prison.
Andy revealed he was assaulted the evening after a Newcastle United game when a “celebrity mate” of his former partner invited himself round to watch a boxing match.
He wrote: “He was always asking me and my ex to go out with him and even buys me clothes. He is divorced with kids but I can’t shift the feeling he likes me more than a platonic way.
“Whenever I bump into him at parties he is always with young boys.”
He continued: “I was playing down south somewhere and on my way home this guy texts to ask what I am up to. When he texts again to ask if he can come round to watch the boxing with me, my partner tells me to stop pieing him off.
“He takes over the kitchen, mixing drinks. I start to feel lightheaded and think has he slipped me something. ‘Right, time for bed,’ I say to him, ‘I’ll order you a taxi.’
“‘Oh no,’ he says, ‘I’ll stay in the spare room.'”
He then claims he awoke to the friend sexually assaulting him.
