'The tough times have shaped me' - Hume reflects on early retirement

Former Sunderland defender Denver Hume has opened up about the "really tough period" that led to his early retirement from football at 28.

Hume had not played since October 2025 after suffering a bleed on the brain during a training session with Fleetwood Town, something then manager Pete Wild said seemed to be "an innocuous collision" at the time.

A product of Sunderland's academy, he made 84 senior appearances for his boyhood club between 2018 and 2022 - the most he made for a team in his career.

"It's been a really tough 11 months since I suffered the injury," Hume told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"There was a lot of uncertainty about it. It was a lot more complex than any other injury. Definitely the goal at the start was to get back playing, but as the months go on and the symptoms persisted, I sat down with doctors. From then, it was looking at the next steps for me."

Despite his traumatic experience, Hume is remaining positive and wants to use his struggles to help others.

"The tough times I went through and the setback I had made me the person I am today," he added.

"Without that, my outlook on football and life would be very different and that's why I have the attitude I have. The tough times have shaped me into who I am and I want to use that to help people in and out of football in their journeys."

Hume also reflected on his 14 years at Sunderland, from boy to man, and the love he still has for the club.

"It was a massive part of my life," he said.

"There are still people at the club I am in touch with. The club being back in the Premier League is brilliant and it's a club I will always follow.

"I still speak to Luke O'Nien. He's a great lad and has done unbelievable for himself. He helped me when I was a younger player at Sunderland and I spoke to him a lot during that point. Massive respect for him and I'm very happy to see him in the Premier League."

Listen to Hume in full below or on BBC Sounds