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Rhys Bennett: Manchester United defender on father’s suicide
Content warning: This article contains discussion around suicide and mental health.
Rhys Bennett comes bounding into the media room at Manchester United‘s Carrington training ground bristling with energy, as you would expect of a 22-year-old professional footballer.
Tall and confident, lean and physically fit – apart from a knee injury he is trying to recover from so he can complete a loan move to a League One club next month – defender Bennett offers a firm handshake and talks of his developing skill as a DJ.
Captain of United’s last FA Youth Cup-winning team in 2022, Bennett has impressed during a loan stint at Fleetwood.
But he is not talking about that today.
Bennett has serious issues to discuss, which stem from a heartbreaking message he posted on social media on 28 October.
“Broken, devastated, just don’t want to believe it’s real,” he said. “I love you in this life and the next.”
The message was to his father, David, who had taken his own life.
Bennett wants to talk about the pain of those left behind, to encourage conversation and plead with those struggling with their mental health to choose a different path to the one his dad took.
David, along with the rest of his family, gave his time to help Rhys and daughter Megan, who works in mental health care.
“He was very hard working,” says Bennett. “You grow up, especially as a son, and look up to your father. You want to be like him.
“He gave me so much along the years, including my resilience and work ethic. The time him, my mum and family invested in me to fulfil my dream is something I’ll be forever grateful for. They were always there for me, no matter what.
“They don’t realise how much they’re appreciated, and how they affect people. You want to have millions more laughs and cries and whatever it might be. I appreciate everything he’s ever done for me.
“As much as it’s a sad situation and the last chapter of his life wasn’t a good one, you’ve still got to celebrate his life and think about the good times.
“If I could have one more conversation with him it would be to say how grateful I am of him as a person, how much I love him and let him know how much I really appreciate him. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”
Bennett’s reason to talk to BBC Sport is clear. He wants to help. He realises it is quite possible he will never know if an interview has helped a specific individual, but that is not the point.
“I want to talk about the importance of telling people how you feel, how special it is to be living, to be breathing, to be able to eat, to sleep. You’ve got to be grateful for what you’ve got,” he says.
“Someone might be feeling a certain way but hopefully this nudges people and they might just check up on a person and ask are they OK.
“Don’t question yourself – just do it. Let the people you’re close to know that you’re there for them.”
Gymnast Ruby Evans has won Wales’ first Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow with victory in the floor final.
Evans, 19, performed the final routine of the women’s programme and defeated England’s Abigail Martin into silver, with her team-mate Shantae-Eve Amankwaah securing bronze.
Evans left the arena in tears on Sunday after her disappointing sixth in the all-round individual competition, that after Wales finished fourth in the team event.
Now, after Welsh identical twins Abigail and Emily Roper won bronze medals within a couple of hours of each other on Monday, Evans has delivered gold.
It was the first victory for Team Wales in Scotland and a ninth medal alongside two silver and six bronze.
There is also a guaranteed podium position for boxer Connor Williams after he reached the semi-finals.
An amateur cricket match has made global headlines after a fielder was accused of cheating by clicking his fingers to get a wicket.
The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League has started an investigation into a second XI Division 2 game between Saltburn and Norton.
A viral video on social media appears to show a Saltburn fielder clicking his fingers as the ball passes Noman Shabir’s bat before being caught by wicketkeeper Josh Bowes. Saltburn appeal and the umpire gives Shabir out.
It has been suggested that the finger-clicking was designed to trick the umpire into thinking the batter edged the ball.
Saltburn won by 159 runs and are top of Division 2 by 17 points.
“The league have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday,” the league said in a statement on X.
“A full investigation has been initiated and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made.”
Last week Bowes took eight catches in Saltburn’s 22-run win over Shildon Railway. The men’s Test record for catches by a keeper in an innings is seven.
Bowes leads the league standings with 31 catches, 10 more than any other player.
Rory Cotterill, who captained Middlesbrough second XI during a 29-run defeat by Saltburn last month, responded to a social media post containing the video and alleged two further incidents of cheating by Saltburn in that match.
The original video of the incident has had more than three million views on X, with publications in Australia and New Zealand among those to report it.
The BBC has contacted the league and Saltburn. Norton declined to comment.
First Test, Tarouba (day three of five)
West Indies 311 (Hope 92; Ali 4-50) & 126-7 (Chanderpaul 35, Abbas 3-14)
Pakistan 282 (Masood 109; Greaves 5-27)
West Indies lead by 155 runs
West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves took five wickets without conceding a run in an incredible spell of bowling on day three of the first Test against Pakistan.
Greaves, who is playing in his 17th Test, claimed his maiden Test five-wicket haul to help dismiss Pakistan for 282 in response to West Indies’ first-innings total of 311.
The 32-year-old Barbadian’s spell – five consecutive wicket maidens – was all the more remarkable given he had bowled six overs earlier in the day for 27 runs without taking a wicket.
“When I came on captain Roston Chase just said ‘continue to be disciplined in what you are doing’ and to see if I can get some wickets for the team,” Greaves said.
“The ball nipped around and I got some reward. Anytime I get the ball in hand the team looks to me to be that solid player for them [and] try to dig us out of situations.
“To get five wickets for the first time in Test cricket, I’m really happy, but there’s still a lot of work to do in the game.”
Pakistan captain Shan Masood was Greaves’ first wicket at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad when he was bowled for 109 in the 64th over following a superb set-up.
Greaves had pushed the ball wide to the left-hander from over the wicket before he tailed a delivery back into Masood who played down the wrong line and inside edged on to his stumps.
Aamer Jamal had his middle stump uprooted in Greaves’ next over as the seamer speared one through his defences.
Greaves then trapped Ali Usman lbw before he had Mohammed Rizwan and Mohammad Abbas both caught behind as Pakistan lost their last seven wickets for just 38 runs.
West Indies reached stumps on day three on 126-7 in their second innings – a lead of 155 runs – to leave the match finely poised.
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CK Updates23 hours agoCommonwealth Games 2026: Scotland’s Archie Goodburn on battling brain cancer
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CK Updates11 hours agoSaltburn-Norton match investigated over alleged ‘finger clicking’ cheating
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CK Updates5 hours agoCommonwealth Games 2026: Gymnast Ruby Evans wins first gold for Wales
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CK Updates17 hours agoWest Indies v Pakistan: Justin Greaves takes five wickets for none in incredible spell