Stephen Warnock reveals he hid epileptic seizures from Liverpool for fear of being released

Stephen Warnock has spoken publicly for the first time about hiding epileptic seizures from Liverpool during his youth career, admitting he was “petrified” the club would release him if they discovered his condition.

The former left-back, now 44, came through the ranks at Anfield and made 67 appearances for the club before going on to represent Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Leeds United. He retired in 2018 and currently works as a pundit for the BBC.

Warnock told the BBC that his first seizure occurred while he was at school. “I was at a computer and then I woke up in a hospital bed,” he said. “I didn’t remember anything, I completely blacked out. My friends told me I started having a seizure. Obviously an ambulance was called. I was embarrassed to be honest, because no-one else had it, no-one knew about it, I didn’t know about it until it happened.”

A subsequent seizure at home prompted doctors to send him for CT and MRI scans, but Warnock chose to keep the diagnosis from Liverpool. “I was petrified of telling Liverpool because I was worried of being released,” he confessed. “I was thinking ‘if they think I’ve got a condition they will release me’. I was worried about being on the pitch and it happens. There were no triggers for me, I never knew what triggered it. That was what petrified me.”

Warnock says he has not experienced a seizure since the age of 14 and considers himself fortunate to have grown out of the condition without requiring medication. “I didn’t have to go on medication or worry about driving a car or things like that,” he said. “It’s the first time I’ve ever really spoken about it.”

His disclosure comes as awareness of epilepsy in sport continues to grow. According to charity Epilepsy Action, epilepsy in children is often identified after one or more seizures, and medications can reduce or prevent episodes when carefully managed.

England rugby wing Tommy Freeman is among the high-profile athletes who have spoken openly about living with the condition. Freeman, who toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2025, was diagnosed with epilepsy at 19 after first experiencing seizures at 14, and takes daily medication to manage it — going on to become the first England player to score a try in all five matches of a single Six Nations Championship.