During his 23-year professional football career, winning was always the aim of the game. Now, David Seaman is happy to have found a sport he can enjoy, regardless of the end result.

The former England and Arsenal goalie has found a love for fishing – and while there’s certainly a competitive element, he says relaxation is the main draw for him.

“When I was playing football, I used to play a lot of golf. I would go on the golf course to try and relax – and sometimes I’d walk off it more frustrated than I’d walked on, because I’d not played very well. Then I got into fishing and it just fitted, because no matter whether I caught anything or not, I felt totally relaxed afterwards,” the South Yorkshire-born sportsman, 59, explains.

“That’s where the attraction really came from for me, the fact that I really enjoyed myself, and catching a fish was a bonus. I’d found my space that made me happy.”

Having things to channel energy into has been crucial for adapting to life post-retirement too. “I’ve spoken to some footballers and they’ve found they got really bored after they retired. You’ve got to keep your mind active and keep your body active,” Seaman shares.

“People have said to me, ‘Do you miss football?’ And I’m like – no, I’m not missing it at all – and I’m nearly 20 years retired, you know? Always try and find something to do. That’s the key.”

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week (May 15-21), the footballing legend – Seaman is England’s second most capped goalkeeper of all time – has teamed up with the Environment Agency on a campaign highlighting the positive impact fishing can have on mental wellbeing.

In a survey of 5,500 British anglers by Angling Trust, 86% said fishing has helped them with stress and anxiety symptoms, 52% said they’ve found it easier to talk about their mental health since taking up the sport, and 95% would recommend it as a way to help manage these things.

The campaign also sees Seaman feature in a short film alongside two members of Tackling Minds, a not-for-profit organisation that runs fishing socials and events for people going through hard times.

“[Mental health] is one of those things that doesn’t get talked about enough, especially with men,” says Seaman. “We are seeing a big change now, and I think campaigns like this are helping people feel a little bit more confident in being able to [say they need support] and knowing where to go.”

Since retiring in 2004, Seaman has kept busy with coaching, TV appearances and – increasingly – helping open up the conversation around male mental health.

He recalls how back in his footballing heyday, “we had no idea who to speak to” when it came to mental health support. “Now, there are places to go, there’s always information out there,” he adds. “For me, it’s a case of, as hard as it is, trying to chat to people.”

He considers himself fortunate to have had strong support during his Arsenal days, however.

“I was lucky that when I was playing, I had a fantastic coach in Bob Wilson. He was my coach for 15 years – he’s been my best man twice! So, I was really fortunate that I had this guy, plus my mum and dad, obviously, but Bob was there every day, and my mum and dad were up north, so that was the way it happened.

“I could chat with Bob, mainly about football things, but then Bob could see when I was having a bad day,” adds the father-of-four. (Seaman has two children from his first marriage and two with second wife, Debbie Rodgers. He’s now married to former Dancing On Ice professional skater Frankie Poultney.)

“And I think that transfers to friends – if you speak to your friends, then you can spot that they’re having a bad day and maybe help them that way. The main message is to actually talk to people, because it really does help. If you keep everything contained, it just gets worse and worse, there’s no doubt about that. It’s really hard to try and sort it all out yourself.”

The Environment Agency campaign also highlights the importance of buying a rod licence, which is often required when fishing in the UK. Seaman explains that the money is channelled back into supporting the fishing environments – “like stocking lakes and rivers, and looking after the sites and banksides”.

But he doesn’t think newbies to the sport should focus too much on what they catch. At least not to begin with.

“Don’t go out and expect to catch a massive fish straight away – go somewhere where you’ll catch some little fish. And ideally go with someone that’s fished before, because you need to find out a lot, like what bait to put on and how to tie your knots.”

For Seaman though, it really is all about reeling in some all-important restoration, rather than catching a whopper.

“I’m outdoors with all that nature going on around me. And I always take my binoculars, because I love looking at all the different aspects of wildlife, watching the birds. I’m even getting used to the birdsongs now – sometimes I know by the songs which bird it is, like a proper twitcher,” he adds, laughing.

“You see deer, you see muntjacs, foxes, badgers, owls. It’s a good, good place to go for me.”

For more information on when and how to buy a fishing licence, visit gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence