A ‘talented, mature and hard-working’ teenager who had found it 'difficult' after being dropped by a top football club took his own life just weeks after his 18th birthday.
Jeremy Wisten, who had been with the Manchester City academy since he was 13, was found dead by his mother in his sister’s bedroom last year.
Paramedics raced to the family home in Baguley but despite their best efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The inquest heard that in 2018, Jeremy saw his hopes of a scholarship with the club crumble after they decided to let him go following a serious knee injury.
He had previously spent five months away from the pitch and was dealing with a ligament injury that left him in 'excruciating pain', which meant he did not progress at the same speed as his peers and he was subsequently let go from the club in December 2018.
Despite many attempts and trials with other clubs to take him on, the 18-year-old had been unsuccessful.
The inquest heard he had found it 'difficult' to see his other sporting friends succeeding ahead of him, and had found the Covid-19 restrictions hard as it meant the 'popular' teen could not see friends, who he 'cherished' his time with.
But his family told the hearing there was 'no evidence' to suggest he had been struggling in the days leading up to his death.
Tragedy as Jeremy found dead at home
The hearing heard that on the evening of October 24, 2020, the teen had locked the door to his sister's room, the only door in the house that had a lock on it, where he then took his own life.
His mum Grace found him at around 9pm after she became concerned he had not come down to eat his dinner that evening.
A toxicology report found traces of benzodiazepine that would have only suggested recreational use.
Coroner Zak Golombek concluded that Jeremy had intended to take his own life.
But Jeremy's dad, Manila, told the inquest there was 'absolutely no evidence to suggest he had been struggling' and that he 'did not believe he meant to take his own life'
He added football was Jeremy's passion and that he 'had looked up to Manchester City player Vincent Kompany since he was a child'.
He said: "He was always happy as a child and had been for his whole life.
“He was a born athlete who was always very sporty and competitive. He always wanted to come first in everything he did.
" Football became everything to him. He would kick the ball around the house and would never give anything less than his best. He would succeed in everything he did.
“After the injury nothing was the same. It didn’t stop him fully in his tracks but he was in so much pain.
“I had to remind him that some things in life cannot be controlled. I kept encouraging him to be strong.
"It was hard for him but he always retained his love for football."
Manila also added that his son had been set for distinctions in his college studies and was applying for forensic science courses at universities in Manchester in the days leading up to his death.
The family had decided it was important for Jeremy to turn his focus to his studies after an impressive set of GCSE results.
There had been 'no change in his behaviour' in the weeks before his death, the inquest heard, and his father said that the teenager had merely suffered 'ups and downs like everyone else his age during the pandemic'.
In a heartfelt tribute from college friends, they said: “He was an intelligent, funny and hard-working man whose positive energy would follow him anywhere.”
Jason Wilcox, Manchester City Academy Director, added that Jeremy's knee injury would have had 'no impact' on their decision for them to end his contract.
He added that decisions were made based on the needs of the players 'and not the benefit of the club'.
"Jeremy’s injuries had halted his development and other players had progressed at a different rate," he added.
Mental health screenings were carried out by Manchester City sports psychologists both before and after the decision for him to be released from the club and no concerns were raised about his mental wellbeing.
Ian Taylor, the police coroner’s officer at GMP, suggested that he was a ‘hard-working and mature individual who people would turn to for advice’.
He added that there was ‘nothing that made anyone question his mental health or stability' and that investigators found no evidence he had planned methods of taking his own life.
Speaking to the M.E.N previously, Jeremy's father Manila called on more mental health support for youngsters both in schools and football clubs.
Summing up, Coroner Golombek said: "It is clear Jeremy was a very much loved individual.
"I know for the family it will take time but I do hope your memories of him will be those of happy times.
"You should be incredibly proud of what he achieved in his short life."
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