Former Manchester United winger Keith Gillespie is stepping out of retirement to support Northern Ireland's first football club dedicated to helping people with mental health issues.
Gillespie has teamed up with FC Mindwell who will play in the Mid-Ulster League's Third Division next season and initially be based at Armagh City's Holm Park ground.
The squad will be managed by David Dawson and will include a host of former Irish League and Intermediate League players plus Northern Ireland hero Gillespie, while ex-Liverpool and England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland is a club ambassador.
FC MIndwell plans to support and help its members, players and fans by offering resources and information enabling them to seek help or talk about any issues they may have.
"It is a fantastic project," said Gillespie.
"Mental health is something we speak about a lot at the minute, which is good. For many years it wasn't talked about.
"People have problems in everyday life and they should know there are people to talk to."
Gillespie, who won 86 caps for Northern Ireland, admits it has been tough since returning to training with the team.
"After a couple of training sessions it has been quite tough. I haven't really trained since I retired seven or eight years ago," he smiled.
"But as a former professional sportsperson you never lose that winning mentality, so I will be giving it my all.
"We have a great group of boys together, and a large group. It is fantastic how far we have come in a short space of time.
"We want to be a club that's a little bit different. We are an ambitious club and the plans are huge. We want to set up a women's team as well, because it isn't just men who suffer mental health problems.
"We have the right people on the committee, the right staff and players. Everyone is itching to see how far we can actually go."
FC Mindwell will work in conjunction with the Links Counselling Service, a charity that provides therapeutic support to the community with the aim to prevent mental health illness from occurring in families and individuals by offering early intervention.
Co-founder Brian Adair said: "During lockdown, when the coronavirus pandemic hit Northern Ireland, myself and ex-footballers Glenn Emerson, Conor Larkin, Kevin Henry and Michael Green spoke to each other about how much we missed playing the game.
"Within a month we had formed a committee, the club had a name and the vision to make FC Mindwell a force to engage and work with former semi-professional footballers with mental health issues had been realised.
"We want to do all we can to help with people's mental health which is one of the biggest issues facing society today.
"On Saturday the team won their first pre-season friendly and already some players have said the club has given them a purpose in life again.
"We have so many people to thank as we start this journey from the FC Mindwell committee to all the players and management to the Mid Ulster League who have been very accommodating and of course Armagh City, who are allowing us to use their ground Holm Park for our home fixtures.
"In the future we have plans to have our own facility which will not only be used for football but to offer counselling for those affected by mental health issues."
Chairman Andy Cully added: "Our ethos is entirely centred around the mental health and wellbeing of players, giving them the opportunity to pull the boots on and play competitive games.
"We are delighted to have on board our charity partner Links Counselling Service and look forward to working with them over the season."
Club ambassador Chris Kirkland says he is delighted to be involved with the new club.
"What they are doing with mental health and highlighting the issue is fantastic," the former England international said.
"I know from personal experience how difficult it can be with mental health so to set up a football club to help people with this in mind is extremely important and I'm very pleased to be part of it."
