Maidstone midfielder Jack Richards wants to use his coaching school to tackle mental health in football.

It's a prominent issue following the death of former Ebbsfleet and Margate striker Mike Thalassitis last month and Richards intends to help.

The 19-year-old has linked up with Jack Tebbutt, a football coach and teacher at Cornwallis, to encourage young players to speak about their problems.

Richards, who founded the 23TP coaching school, said: "It's not just about the football, I've also got someone working on mental health because that's a massive thing.

"Hopefully that's something we can help a lot of young - and older - lads with.

"With the stuff that's happened recently, with Mike, if we can do something to prevent that happening then we will.

"Jack, who I'm working with, is a very good coach but he also really wants to help on this side of football, the stuff in your head.

"He wants to get involved in this as much as I do and it's good to work with someone who wants to help.

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"It's help I maybe didn't get as a youngster and a lot of other boys didn't get.

"Hopefully in the years to come it'll be a bigger option, to prevent what happened to Mike.

"A big part of it is lads not wanting to speak out, maybe being shy or embarrassed, but you've got to get past that sort of thing. We're going to be there to help."

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