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Warning: This article contains discussions of suicide and mental illness.

Marcus Rashford might not be the only Englishman on the pitch when Barcelona play their first La Liga game following the winter break.

Just five years ago, Tyrhys Dolan was playing for non-league side Clitheroe.

He is a key member of the fifth-place Espanyol team now, age 23, and he is a key member.

He will first-time ever experience the intensity of the Catalan derby on Saturday, just like Rashford.

It is another step in a remarkable journey marked by multiple rejections, periods without a club, and dealing with the devastating loss of his best friend to suicide.

By the time Dolan orders his coffee in Spanish, there is already a sense this move is about more than just adapting to a new league.

He says, “I don’t want to come here, and what I can take away is that my pitching skills will improve.”

“I want to let the supporters know that I’m really interested in the culture and the language, and that I want to connect with them so they can understand me both as a player and as a person,” he said.

Dolan, who is from Broadheath in Greater Manchester, joined Espanyol in July after turning down a new contract at Blackburn. A five-year stay at Ewood Park was ended by a difficult choice.

After being released by Preston, Dolan joined Blackburn without a team, and the forward developed strong bonds with team-mates, staff, and supporters.

“They weren’t just colleagues”, he says. They were “family,” they said.

However, Dolan was aware that making sacrifices was required if he wanted to advance.

When asked why he joined Espanyol, Dolan explains that he liked the passion of the club’s fans, which his father’s videos showed him. It was one of the first football leagues to be founded in Spain in 1900.

Dolan says, “I can’t really count how many people have moved from the Championship to La Liga,” adding that it is undoubtedly one of the best leagues in the world.

“For me, that was a statement in itself – a reward for all the hard work I’ve done.

I wanted to pit myself against the best. And when you have such a strong self-assurance, you want to demonstrate your abilities to others. La Liga has the platform for me to show that. “

Espanyol fought back from the end of last season by spending a lot of time battling relegation, but things are different this time around.

Dolan started 13 of Espanyol’s 17 games starting on the wing in 16 of the team’s 16 games. They have won 10 times and are fifth, 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.

He claims that it has been very positive. Everything feels good when the football is playing well. You meet people in the street and it’s all positivity. I’m just embracing it all.

After spending time in academy at Manchester City, Burnley, and Preston, where he signed a scholarship but did not sign a professional contract, Dolan was playing seven leagues below England’s top flight.

Releases, rejections, and lingering uncertainty followed.

” It’s been an unbelievable journey, “he says”. I’m proud of the challenges I’ve overcome.

When you had to navigate the more difficult route through non-league, I believe it makes the outcome sweeter. You’d come in at half-time and players would be eating Haribos for energy… it’s completely different now”.

Dolan claims that leaving them was one of the hardest aspects of his decision to join Espanyol, and that there is a strong family bond that underlies that resilience.

He claims that because of how deeply committed I am to my family, it was a big sacrifice.

That encouragement extends to a friendship that he has kept shaping up.

Dolan grew up alongside Jeremy Wisten – a team-mate and close friend from his academy years.

Dolan says, “He was the best person you could meet, and we did everything together.”

“I was aware of what football meant to him and how it affected his soul.” He lived and breathed football”.

Wisten and Dolan both sought scholarships at the same time, but Manchester City released Wisten after suffering from injuries.

Dolan says it was important because you had to be consistently playing at the time.

“Jeremy kind of knew himself at Manchester City that he wasn’t really going to get a scholarship but he just struggled after that”.

Wisten was 18 when, less than two years after the club’s approval, he committed suicide at his family home in 2020.

Dolan says it was “knowing that he didn’t have that footballer logo,” but for him, it was facing the world.

“When you’re younger, people don’t even say your name. They say, “Oh, there’s the footballer Tyrhys,” or “there’s the footballer Jeremy.” You are a player, not just a human.

” And once you strip that back, you think ‘ well if I’m not that, then who am I? ‘

“It must have been really difficult for him because I know many people around him were playing football well, earning scholarships, signing contracts with organizations, and making their debuts, I suppose, which is one of them.”

When someone is suffering so much and you are succeeding, it’s difficult to tell. It was the most heartbreaking moment of my life. “

Dolan wears the number 24 at Espanyol in Wisten’s honor. He accepted the fact that it was the day his close friend passed away, so he thought it was more than coincidence that it was one of only two squad numbers that were available.

” He’s with me, “says Dolan”. He has realized his ambition. He made it because he plays the same way I do.

Wisten’s death led Dolan to become an ambassador for the Go Again charity, which supports young footballers dealing with the emotional impact of being released from academies.

He wants to provide perspective and reassurance after having experienced that.

Life in Spain has brought new challenges for Dolan.

He says, “The knowledge you’ve got going on the pitch and how much you need to remember are very different.

You have to perform all the set pieces and different routines. You’ve got to remember eight different sequences. I’m constantly thinking, “I don’t want this to go wrong.”

It has opened up a lot of eyes,” she said. It makes you realise you’re not the finished article”.

Dolan has already had some unforgettable experiences.

He felt that he shared his feelings with everyone he knew by playing against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

“A boy from Broadheath at the Bernabeu”, he says, smiling.

The Catalan derby, one of the fiercest games in Spanish football, is now a landmark.

Dolan can tell when anticipation is building.

“They say you feel it even in the warm-up”, he says. It will be very special, the author declares.

And he won’t be the only one at RCDE Stadium. His dad has been busy fielding ticket requests from friends and family.

He claims that “at the moment, it seems like we have about 25 people coming over.”

Warning: This article contains discussions of suicide and mental illness.

Marcus Rashford might not be the only Englishman on the pitch when Barcelona play their first La Liga game following the winter break.

Just five years ago, Tyrhys Dolan was playing for non-league side Clitheroe.

He is a key member of the fifth-place Espanyol team now, age 24, and he is a key member.

He will first-time ever experience the intensity of the Catalan derby on Saturday, just like Rashford.

It is another step in a remarkable journey marked by multiple rejections, periods without a club, and dealing with the devastating loss of his best friend to suicide.

By the time Dolan orders his coffee in Spanish, there is already a sense this move is about more than just adapting to a new league.

He says, “I don’t want to come here, and what I can take away is that my pitching skills will improve.”

“I want to let the supporters know that I’m really interested in the culture and the language, and that I want to connect with them so they can understand me both as a player and as a person,” he said.

Dolan, who is from Broadheath in Greater Manchester, joined Espanyol in July after turning down a new contract at Blackburn. A five-year stay at Ewood Park was ended by a difficult choice.

After being released by Preston, Dolan joined Blackburn without a team, and the forward developed strong bonds with team-mates, staff, and supporters.

“They weren’t just colleagues”, he says. They were “family,” they said.

However, Dolan was aware that making sacrifices was required if he wanted to advance.

When asked why he joined Espanyol, Dolan explains that he liked the passion of the club’s fans, which his father’s videos showed him. It was one of the first football leagues to be founded in Spain in 1900.

Dolan says, “I can’t really count how many people have moved from the Championship to La Liga,” adding that it is undoubtedly one of the best leagues in the world.

“For me, that was a statement in itself – a reward for all the hard work I’ve done.

I wanted to pit myself against the best. And when you have such a strong self-assurance, you want to demonstrate your abilities to others. La Liga has the platform for me to show that. “

Espanyol fought back from the end of last season by spending a lot of time battling relegation, but things are different this time around.

Dolan started 13 of Espanyol’s 17 games starting on the wing in 16 of the team’s 16 games. They have won 10 times and are fifth, 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.

He claims that it has been very positive. Everything feels good when the football is playing well. You meet people in the street and it’s all positivity. I’m just embracing it all.

After spending time in academy at Manchester City, Burnley, and Preston, where he signed a scholarship but did not sign a professional contract, Dolan was playing seven leagues below England’s top flight.

Releases, rejections, and lingering uncertainty followed.

” It’s been an unbelievable journey, “he says”. I’m proud of the challenges I’ve overcome.

When you had to navigate the more difficult route through non-league, I believe it makes the outcome sweeter. You’d come in at half-time and players would be eating Haribos for energy… it’s completely different now”.

Dolan claims that leaving them was one of the hardest aspects of his decision to join Espanyol, and that there is a strong family bond that underlies that resilience.

He claims that because of how deeply committed I am to my family, it was a big sacrifice.

That encouragement extends to a friendship that he has kept shaping up.

Dolan grew up alongside Jeremy Wisten – a team-mate and close friend from his academy years.

Dolan says, “He was the best person you could meet, and we did everything together.”

“I was aware of what football meant to him and how it affected his soul.” He lived and breathed football”.

Wisten and Dolan both sought scholarships at the same time, but Manchester City released Wisten after suffering from injuries.

Dolan says it was important because you had to be consistently playing at the time.

“Jeremy kind of knew himself at Manchester City that he wasn’t really going to get a scholarship but he just struggled after that”.

Wisten was 18 when, less than two years after the club’s approval, he committed suicide at his family home in 2020.

Dolan says it was “knowing that he didn’t have that footballer logo,” but for him, it was facing the world.

“When you’re younger, people don’t even say your name. They say, “Oh, there’s the footballer Tyrhys,” or “there’s the footballer Jeremy.” You are a player, not just a human.

” And once you strip that back, you think ‘ well if I’m not that, then who am I? ‘

“It must have been really difficult for him because I know many people around him were playing football well, earning scholarships, signing contracts with organizations, and making their debuts, I suppose, which is one of them.”

When someone is suffering so much and you are succeeding, it’s difficult to tell. It was the most heartbreaking moment of my life. “

Dolan wears the number 24 at Espanyol in Wisten’s honor. He accepted the fact that it was the day his close friend passed away, so he thought it was more than coincidence that it was one of only two squad numbers that were available.

” He’s with me, “says Dolan”. He has realized his ambition. He made it because he plays the same way I do.

Wisten’s death led Dolan to become an ambassador for the Go Again charity, which supports young footballers dealing with the emotional impact of being released from academies.

He wants to provide perspective and reassurance after having experienced that.

Life in Spain has brought new challenges for Dolan.

He says, “The knowledge you’ve got going on the pitch and how much you need to remember are very different.

You have to perform all the set pieces and different routines. You’ve got to remember eight different sequences. I’m constantly thinking, “I don’t want this to go wrong.”

It has opened up a lot of eyes,” she said. It makes you realise you’re not the finished article”.

Dolan has already had some unforgettable experiences.

He felt that he shared his feelings with everyone he knew by playing against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

“A boy from Broadheath at the Bernabeu”, he says, smiling.

The Catalan derby, one of the fiercest games in Spanish football, is now a landmark.

Dolan can tell when anticipation is building.

“They say you feel it even in the warm-up”, he says. It will be very special, the author declares.

And he won’t be the only one at RCDE Stadium. His dad has been busy fielding ticket requests from friends and family.

He claims that “at the moment, it seems like we have about 25 people coming over.”

Content warning: This article contains discussion around suicide and mental health.

When Marcus Rashford lines up for Barcelona in their first La Liga game after the winter break, he may not be the only Englishman on the pitch.

Just five years ago, Tyrhys Dolan was playing for non-league side Clitheroe.

Now, aged 24, he is an integral part of an Espanyol team sitting fifth in the table.

On Saturday, he – like Rashford – will experience the intensity of the Catalan derby for the first time.

It is another step in a remarkable journey marked by multiple rejections, periods without a club, and dealing with the devastating loss of his best friend to suicide.

By the time Dolan orders his coffee in Spanish, there is already a sense this move is about more than just adapting to a new league.

“I don’t want to come here and my only takeaway being an improvement in my ability on the pitch,” he says.

“I want to show the supporters that I’m really interested in the culture and the language, and I actually want to connect with them, so they understand me not just as a player but also as a person.”

Dolan, who is from Broadheath in Greater Manchester, joined Espanyol in July after turning down a new contract at Blackburn. It was a difficult decision that brought an end to a five-year stay at Ewood Park.

Blackburn took in Dolan when he was without a team after being released by Preston, and the forward built deep bonds with team-mates, staff and supporters.

“They weren’t just colleagues,” he says. “They were family.”

But Dolan knew sacrifices were necessary if he was to push himself further.

When asked why he chose to join Espanyol, Dolan explains he found the club’s history interesting – it was one of the first football clubs founded in Spain in 1900 – and he liked the passion of their fans, which he saw on videos his dad showed him.

“Obviously La Liga is one of the best leagues in the world and I can’t really count how many people have gone from the Championship to La Liga,” says Dolan.

“For me, that was a statement in itself – a reward for all the hard work I’ve done.

“I wanted to test myself against the best. And when you believe in yourself so much, you want to show the world what you can do. La Liga has the platform for me to show that.”

Espanyol spent much of last season fighting against relegation – only surviving on the final day – but things are different this time around.

Dolan has featured in 16 of Espanyol’s 17 games, starting 13 of them on the wing. They have won 10 times and are fifth, 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.

“It’s been so positive,” he says. “When the football’s going well, everything feels good. You meet people in the street and it’s all positivity. I’m just embracing all of it.”

Five years ago, Dolan was playing seven leagues below England’s top flight after academy spells at Manchester City, Burnley and Preston, where he signed a scholarship but did not secure a professional contract.

There were rejections, releases and long periods of uncertainty.

“It’s been an unbelievable journey,” he says. “I’m proud of all the obstacles I’ve overcome.

“I think it makes the outcome sweeter when you’ve had to go the harder route through non-league. You’d come in at half-time and players would be eating Haribos for energy… it’s completely different now.”

Behind that resilience is a strong family bond, and Dolan says leaving them was one of the hardest parts of his decision to join Espanyol.

“I’m such a family person and I knew it was a big sacrifice that I had to make,” he says.

That support extends to a friendship that continues to shape him.

Dolan grew up alongside Jeremy Wisten – a team-mate and close friend from his academy years.

“He was the best person you could meet and we did everything together,” says Dolan.

“I knew how much football meant to him and what it did for his soul. He lived and breathed football.”

Wisten and Dolan were seeking scholarships at the same time, but Wisten struggled with injuries and was released by Manchester City.

“It was a crucial time and you needed to be consistently playing,” says Dolan.

“Jeremy kind of knew himself at Manchester City that he wasn’t really going to get a scholarship but he just struggled after that.”

Wisten was 18 when he took his own life at his family home in 2020 – less than two years after the club let him go.

“I think for him it was facing the world knowing that he didn’t have that logo of a footballer,” says Dolan.

“When you’re younger, people don’t even say your name. They say ‘oh, there’s the footballer Tyrhys’ or ‘there’s the footballer Jeremy’. You’re not just a human, you’re a player.

“And once you strip that back, you think ‘well if I’m not that, then who am I?’

“It must have been really tough for him because I know a lot of people around him were doing really well in terms of football, getting the scholarships, getting pro contracts, making debuts – me being one of them.

“It’s difficult to see when someone’s hurting so much and you’re achieving the thing that they want. It was the most heartbreaking moment of my life.”

In Wisten’s honour, Dolan wears the number 24 at Espanyol. When he discovered it was one of only two available squad numbers, he felt it was more than coincidence as it was the date his close friend had died.

“He’s with me,” says Dolan. “He’s achieved his dream. He’s made it because he’s on the pitch just like I am.”

Wisten’s death led Dolan to become an ambassador for the Go Again charity, which supports young footballers dealing with the emotional impact of being released from academies.

Having lived that experience, he wants to offer reassurance and perspective.

Life in Spain has brought new challenges for Dolan.

“The knowledge you’ve got to have going on the pitch and how much you need to remember is so different,” he says.

“All the set-pieces, the different routines you’ve got to do. You’ve got to remember eight different sequences. I’m always thinking ‘I don’t want to mess this up’.

“It’s been a real eye-opener. It makes you realise you’re not the finished article.”

Dolan has already had some unforgettable moments.

Playing at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid was not just a personal milestone, but something he felt he shared with everyone he knew.

“A boy from Broadheath at the Bernabeu,” he says, smiling.

And now comes another landmark – the Catalan derby, one of the fiercest fixtures in Spanish football.

Dolan can sense the anticipation building.

“They say you feel it even in the warm-up,” he says. “It’s going to be very special.”

And he will not be alone at the RCDE Stadium. His dad has been busy fielding ticket requests from friends and family.

“At the minute, it’s looking like we’ve got about 25 people coming over,” he says.

Warning: This article contains discussions of suicide and mental illness.

Marcus Rashford might not be the only Englishman on the pitch when Barcelona play their first La Liga game following the winter break.

Just five years ago, Tyrhys Dolan was playing for non-league side Clitheroe.

He is a key member of the fifth-place Espanyol team now, age 24, and he is a key member.

He will first-time ever experience the intensity of the Catalan derby on Saturday, just like Rashford.

It is another step in a remarkable journey marked by multiple rejections, periods without a club, and dealing with the devastating loss of his best friend to suicide.

By the time Dolan orders his coffee in Spanish, there is already a sense this move is about more than just adapting to a new league.

He says, “I don’t want to come here, and what I can take away is that my pitching skills will improve.”

“I want to let the supporters know that I’m really interested in the culture and the language, and that I want to connect with them so they can understand me both as a player and as a person,” he said.

Dolan, who is from Broadheath in Greater Manchester, joined Espanyol in July after turning down a new contract at Blackburn. A five-year stay at Ewood Park was ended by a difficult choice.

After being released by Preston, Dolan joined Blackburn without a team, and the forward developed strong bonds with team-mates, staff, and supporters.

“They weren’t just colleagues”, he says. They were “family,” they said.

However, Dolan was aware that making sacrifices was required if he wanted to advance.

When asked why he joined Espanyol, Dolan explains that he liked the passion of the club’s fans, which his father’s videos showed him. It was one of the first football leagues to be founded in Spain in 1900.

Dolan says, “I can’t really count how many people have moved from the Championship to La Liga,” adding that it is undoubtedly one of the best leagues in the world.

“For me, that was a statement in itself – a reward for all the hard work I’ve done.

I wanted to pit myself against the best. And when you have such a strong self-assurance, you want to demonstrate your abilities to others. La Liga has the platform for me to show that. “

Espanyol fought back from the end of last season by spending a lot of time battling relegation, but things are different this time around.

Dolan started 13 of Espanyol’s 17 games starting on the wing in 16 of the team’s 16 games. They have won 10 times and are fifth, 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.

He claims that it has been very positive. Everything feels good when the football is playing well. You meet people in the street and it’s all positivity. I’m just embracing it all.

After spending time in academy at Manchester City, Burnley, and Preston, where he signed a scholarship but did not sign a professional contract, Dolan was playing seven leagues below England’s top flight.

Releases, rejections, and lingering uncertainty followed.

” It’s been an unbelievable journey, “he says”. I’m proud of the challenges I’ve overcome.

When you had to navigate the more difficult route through non-league, I believe it makes the outcome sweeter. You’d come in at half-time and players would be eating Haribos for energy… it’s completely different now”.

Dolan claims that leaving them was one of the hardest aspects of his decision to join Espanyol, and that there is a strong family bond that underlies that resilience.

He claims that because of how deeply committed I am to my family, it was a big sacrifice.

That encouragement extends to a friendship that he has kept shaping up.

Dolan grew up alongside Jeremy Wisten – a team-mate and close friend from his academy years.

Dolan says, “He was the best person you could meet, and we did everything together.”

“I was aware of what football meant to him and how it affected his soul.” He lived and breathed football”.

Wisten and Dolan both sought scholarships at the same time, but Manchester City released Wisten after suffering from injuries.

Dolan says it was important because you had to be consistently playing at the time.

“Jeremy kind of knew himself at Manchester City that he wasn’t really going to get a scholarship but he just struggled after that”.

Wisten was 18 when, less than two years after the club’s approval, he committed suicide at his family home in 2020.

Dolan says it was “knowing that he didn’t have that footballer logo,” but for him, it was facing the world.

“When you’re younger, people don’t even say your name. They say, “Oh, there’s the footballer Tyrhys,” or “there’s the footballer Jeremy.” You are a player, not just a human.

” And once you strip that back, you think ‘ well if I’m not that, then who am I? ‘

“It must have been really difficult for him because I know many people around him were playing football well, earning scholarships, signing contracts with organizations, and making their debuts, I suppose, which is one of them.”

When someone is suffering so much and you are succeeding, it’s difficult to tell. It was the most heartbreaking moment of my life. “

Dolan wears the number 24 at Espanyol in Wisten’s honor. He accepted the fact that it was the day his close friend passed away, so he thought it was more than coincidence that it was one of only two squad numbers that were available.

” He’s with me, “says Dolan”. He has realized his ambition. He made it because he plays the same way I do.

Wisten’s death led Dolan to become an ambassador for the Go Again charity, which supports young footballers dealing with the emotional impact of being released from academies.

He wants to provide perspective and reassurance after having experienced that.

Life in Spain has brought new challenges for Dolan.

He says, “The knowledge you’ve got going on the pitch and how much you need to remember are very different.

You have to perform all the set pieces and different routines. You’ve got to remember eight different sequences. I’m constantly thinking, “I don’t want this to go wrong.”

It has opened up a lot of eyes,” she said. It makes you realise you’re not the finished article”.

Dolan has already had some unforgettable experiences.

He felt that he shared his feelings with everyone he knew by playing against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

“A boy from Broadheath at the Bernabeu”, he says, smiling.

The Catalan derby, one of the fiercest games in Spanish football, is now a landmark.

Dolan can tell when anticipation is building.

“They say you feel it even in the warm-up”, he says. It will be very special, the author declares.

And he won’t be the only one at RCDE Stadium. His dad has been busy fielding ticket requests from friends and family.

He claims that “at the moment, it seems like we have about 25 people coming over.”