In a searing social media post, Sharpley detailed the emotional devastation caused by the club's sudden withdrawal. She criticised the industry for treating players as commodities rather than human beings, arguing that high wages do not justify the psychological toll inflicted by such treatment.
Sharpley wrote: “Tonight, and the last 48 hours, have broken my heart to see how the football world you love so much can be so cruel to you.
“To have something promised to you, to have been dragged along on an emotional roller coaster and to be toyed with until the final minute, to have 4 and a half years of your life promised to you, travelling, medicals, arrangements made, promises made, to have prepared to move your life, our life, 100s of miles away in the space of a few hours.
“For that to be torn away from you at the last second with absolutely no explanation, going from everything to radio silence, no phone call, no communication, and be left brokenhearted with nothing but confusion, has hurt more than I can say.
“We live in a world where everyone is aware of how big a problem mental health is. So, in football, why do we find it acceptable because these young men are on a lot of money and that’s okay to mess and toy with their mental health and that it’s just part of the job? No matter of money, we all deserve to be treated with respect, kindness, and fairly.
“So I really question the industry tonight. I only hope that there’s more done in the future to protect people from situations like what I’ve witnessed tonight. Football is brutal, and yes, it’s the nature of the beast, but messing with human beings’ feelings and emotions shouldn’t be acceptable.
“People only see one side in the media, you don’t see the tears, the emotion and the distress, I have seen tonight.”
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