Yahoo News Malcom Alker: Dad reveals tragedy behind Salford rugby star's death in heartbreaking inquest
The troubles and early death of former Salford Red Devils captain Malcolm Alker were down to a brain injury suffered during his playing career, his father told an inquest.
Alker suffered depression after retiring from a stellar career in rugby league and was blighted by mental health troubles, booze and drugs. After collapsing at his home in Ince, Wigan, in January, he was taken to Royal Bolton Hospital where he went into respiratory and cardiac arrest.
A coroner concluded he died of multiple organ failure which 'on the balance of probabilities' was down to 'combined drug toxicity'. The father-of-two was just 45. He spent his entire professional career with the Salford City Reds and was the team's captain for a number of years, first in 2000 aged just 21.
Yesterday (Thursday), at an inquest at Bolton Coroners' Court into his death, his father, Malcolm Alker Snr, pointed to head injuries he suffered during his play days as the cause of his son's troubles.
Mr Alker Jnr fell into depression after he retired from the sport and he went to a specialist who concluded he had suffered 'lesions' on his brain caused by 'impact' injuries to his head during his playing career, according to his father.
Things went 'from bad to worse' after retirement
In a statement read out in court, his father Malcolm said Alker, who had three brothers, grew up in Billinge, Wigan, where he was good at sports and 'loved' rugby, going on to a glittering professional rugby league career where he spent 16 years at Salford Red Devils.
After he retired from professional rugby, he went into the building trade, helping out his joiner father and qualifying as a bricklayer and HGV driver. Malcolm married young and had two children. But shortly after he retired he suffered depression and 'things went from bad to worse', according to his father.
The former rugby star's behaviour became 'out of character', his demeanour changed and he ended up in trouble with the police, Mr Alker Snr confirmed. His 'coping mechanism' was alcohol, the court heard.
Mr Alker said his son was referred to a specialist in London who was said to have concluded he had suffered a brain injury, or lesions on the brain, which caused 'mental health difficulties'. He was prescribed medication but it was not clear what effect this had on him, said Mr Alker Snr. He was diagnosed with 'suspected dementia'.
Mr Alker said it was thought his son's condition was down to 'impact' injuries to his son's head during his playing career. He went on that a search of his playing records had revealed one occasion where he was knocked out during a game, came off the pitch but was brought on again to continue playing.
He agreed that much more was now known about the 'long term implications' of serious concussions suffered in sport. Mr Alker said his son 'would be alright for a while' and then 'slip back into heavy drinking' again.
"I just think he was slipping further and further because of his brain problems," said Mr Alker, who agreed his son felt increasingly 'frustrated'.
After his marriage broke down he moved in with his mother and then lived alone, and he was said to have made a number of attempts to take his own life and took overdoses between 2015 to 2021, the inquest heard. Members of his family would visit him with food to make sure he was OK, said his father.
In time he began a new relationship, with fiancee Jennifer Oldfield, who reported that, when Malcolm collapsed at his home in Ince, Wigan, he was said to have squeezed her hand and told paramedics who had been summoned to his home 'I'm going'.
Mr Alker Jnr's GP Dr Karl Boulton, of Ince Surgery, confirmed in a statement read in court brief details of the patent's medical history, including that he was diagnosed as alcohol dependent in April 2020. He was also said to have used cocaine and taken overdoses. He was treated for anxiety and was referred to the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust as he was experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Melanie Morbe, a mental health nurse based in Wigan of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, gave the inquest an overview of the treatment received by Mr Alker Jnr, although she never treated him personally. He had taken four overdoses in the 12 months up to January 2017 following the breakdown of his marriage and the end of his career, the court heard. He told nurses he felt 'angry' at times although there was no suggestion he was a risk to others.
He was referred to the Home Based Treatment Team from March 2017 although he often appeared intoxicated during visits by staff and missed several appointments, said Ms Morbe. He said he felt 'hopeless' and admitted drinking up to four bottles of vodka each day. He also said he planned to shoot himself.
After a spell in prison for an unspecified offence, he was referred by the probation service for urgent mental health help in July 2020. He was said to have been feeling 'low' and experiencing flashbacks because of 'past trauma'.
By September of 2020 he had been signed off by the Home Based Treatment team only to be signed back on again due to 'suicidal ideation'. He was said to be drinking two litres of vodka per day and taking cocaine, according to Ms Morbe. She confirmed the trust's last contact with him was in June 2022.
Police were called after concerns
Pathologist Dr Ravindra Sawant said it had been reported that Mr Alker was under treatment for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a progressive degenerative disease affecting people who have suffered repeated concussions and traumatic brain injuries. He told the court there had been research suggesting a link between the disease and sport-related head injuries. Toxicology tests revealed only low levels of drugs in his blood but the court heard these may have 'metabolised' by the time hospital medics had taken a sample of blood for analysis.
The pathologist said he did not examine his brain because at the time he carried out the post mortem there was no indication of a brain injury. The consultant who was said to have diagnosed a brain injury did not give evidence to the court.
Police were called to his home in Ince, Wigan following reports of concern for his welfare on January 13 this year amid concerns he may have taken an overdose, the court was told. He appeared to deteriorate later in the evening and he was taken by ambulance to Royal Bolton Hospital shortly at 12.35am. Minutes later he went into cardiac and respiratory failure. Despite repeated attempts to save him, his death was confirmed at 7.57am, the inquest was told.
Det Insp Lee Gridley said that paramedics reported they had been informed Mr Alker had consumed ten sleeping tablets but he had not intended to harm himself. They also found an empty bottle of gin. Also found were syringes and anabolic steroids and prescription drugs but nothing that pointed to an intention to kill himself. Downstairs officers found five empty bottles of vodka.
Coroner Michael Pemberton noted the last time Mr Alker had sought help with mental health difficulties was in July 2020 and said he had not heard sufficient evidence to return a suicide verdict. Recording a long narrative conclusion, Mr Pemberton said Mr Alker had died of multiple organ failure which 'on the balance of probabilities' was down to 'combined drug toxicity'.
A statement posted by Salford Red Devils at the time of his death said: "It is with huge sadness that Salford Red Devils confirm the passing of former-Salford captain, Malcolm Alker.
"Alker made 292 appearances for Salford between 1997 and 2010, spending his entire professional career with our club. Firstly named captain in 2000 at just 21 years-old, the hooker would eventually become Salford’s full-time captain."
In 2012, Alker released his autobiography, The Devil Within, where he admitted use of cocaine and banned growth hormones during his playing days. He was sentenced to four years behind bars in January 2018 for an armed robbery of a KFC and Tesco Express store in Wigan in October 2017.
