Wisdom went on to make 40 league and cup appearances for Derby the following season, but his four-year contract – which expired in June 2021 – was not renewed.
By then, Rooney had been appointed manager after Cocu was sacked three months into the season. The Rams were a mess financially and close to entering administration.
After Derby, Wisdom had trials at several clubs. The then 28-year-old was desperate to get his career back on track.
“I drove from my home near Liverpool to play one game for Portsmouth, but I didn’t hear anything back. I just wanted to play football.”
Despite his best efforts to put the events of 2020 behind him, Wisdom – who made a total of 48 Premier League appearance for Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion (loan) and Norwich City (loan) – knew his career as a professional player in England was pretty much over.
“Doctors say I have severe nerve damage down my left side as a result of what happened. I was stabbed in my head and today I still get headaches. It seems like a piece of me is gone. I get dull aches, it’s borderline pain.”
The emotional impact has also taken its toll.
“There were some days [during recovery] when I just stayed in my room all day, other days when I was a bit more: ‘Hello, how is everyone doing?’
“When I go through something in life, whatever it is, I try to go through it on my own and deal with things.
“Even though I knew I had support, I didn’t look for it because essentially it’s my life, my body and my experience.”
Wisdom, whose career also includes one season on loan in Austria with Red Bull Salzburg, says he has changed as a person.
“I like to move on from stuff, but what happened has made me more vigilant, made me more aware of my surroundings.”
Yet despite everything he has been through, he refuses to dwell on his life-changing experience five years ago.
“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” says Wisdom. “It happens everywhere.
“Thank God I’m good and that I made it through.”
His attackers have never been caught.
