In a heartfelt and revealing interview, football pundit Troy Deeney and his brother Ellis open up about their challenging childhood in Birmingham’s Chelmsley Wood, one of Europe’s biggest housing estates. The brothers, who both found success on the pitch, share intimate details of the hardships that shaped their unbreakable bond.
A Dream-like Childhood Tinged with Tough Moments
Troy, born in 1988, describes their early years as “dream-like” despite the difficulties. “We had a lot of laughs,” he reflects. “There were some tough moments that felt like a bad dream, but I knew one day we’d get to where we wanted.”
The brothers found joy in their grandmother’s garden, which felt like “being at Wembley” compared to their small flat. Football was their passion from a young age, with their father pushing them to compete with older kids to toughen them up.
Becoming the Man of the House at Nine
Troy’s life changed dramatically when he was just nine years old. “Dad got nicked,” he reveals. “From then on, he was around, but he didn’t live with us. Instead, I became the man of the house.”
With his mother working multiple jobs, Troy stepped up to care for Ellis and their sister Sasha. He started working at 11, collecting glasses in a pub, and would rush from school to pick up his siblings, making sure they were fed and safe.
“To this day, one of my proudest moments was when I collected my brother and sister, and I gave them both my coat and jumper so they wouldn’t get wet in the rain. I got soaked in just my T-shirt, but they were OK, and that’s all that mattered.”
– Troy Deeney
The Annoyance and Admiration of a Gifted Little Brother
Ellis, a natural athlete who excelled at every sport he tried, was a source of both pride and frustration for Troy. “It’s annoying having a little brother that is so good at everything,” Troy admits. “There’s nothing he’s bad at, physically.”
While Ellis shone on the field, Troy found his niche as the class clown, using humor to cope with emotions and boredom at school. This coping mechanism would later evolve into a more destructive pattern.
Burning the Candle at Both Ends
As a teenager, Troy turned to drinking to deal with his pent-up aggression. “No one was talking about mental health or trauma,” he explains. “It wasn’t impressive to be the funny one anymore; it was better to be the tough one.”
Even as his football career took off, Troy struggled with the fear that everything could be taken away from him at any moment. “I burn the candle at both ends,” he confesses. “It’s how I survive: I’ve become used to living in fight or flight.”
The Unbreakable Bond of Brotherhood
Despite their differences and the challenges of fame, the love between Troy and Ellis has never wavered. “There’s a love between brothers that can never be matched,” Troy asserts. “Even if me and Ellis didn’t speak for 20 years, our childhood, the good and bad, and our fundamental core values, mean we’ll always come back to each other.”
Ellis echoes this sentiment, recalling how he looked up to Troy as a child. “Troy was the golden child. He was a joker who didn’t like to upset the apple cart. He was Mum’s best friend.”
Though they grew apart for a time as Troy’s football persona took over, Ellis understands the pressures his brother faced. “Nobody tells you how to deal with fame and success. But we’re through that now.”
Today, the brothers maintain their bond through quiet moments on the golf course and the shared understanding that comes from a childhood that forced them to grow up too fast. Their story is one of resilience, love, and the unshakable connection forged in the crucible of adversity.
