ON behalf of State of Mind Sport extend sincere condolences to the family and friends of Steve Gartland, who has passed away, aged 45.
Steve grew up and played all his early rugby in Oldham, as the younger son of former Colts team coach, ‘A’ team coach and, for a brief spell, first-team coach Brian Gartland, who was a leading member of the backroom team at Watersheddings for many years.
Steve himself played 30 first-team games in Super League days at Watershddings between 1994 and 1996 before going on to play for Swinton Lions and then Rochdale Hornets and Rochdale Mayfield below.
The son of influential rugby league coach Stephen Gartland has revealed the former professional battled the ‘silent illness’ of depression before his sudden death.
Bradley Gartland, 19, said his dad was a ‘hero’ who had a passion to inspire ‘as many people as he could’ to take up a sport he loved and devoted his life to.
But he said that Stephen, 45, struggled to share his thoughts and feelings and when he started to, believed it was ‘too late’ to ever recover.
Bradley said: “Knowing that he thought that broke my heart and we as a family did everything we could for him. I spent all my days listening to his worries, talking to him about them and taking him to his favourite places.
“Dealing with the loss of such a happy, passionate and well respected man just shows how powerful depression and mental health is as a whole.”
Our thoughts will be of Steve at Wembley today and with the family and friends of Steve at this immensely difficult time