Tranmere Rovers fan Ryan overcomes mental ill health by writing book about the club

Ryan Ferguson, 24, was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalised anxiety disorder in 2018.

After entering a period of depression, Ryan then began to write a book celebrating Tranmere's history told from his own perspective called Planet Prentonia as a form of therapy.

Ryan, from Bromborough told the Globe: “Writing Planet Prentonia was my saviour in the darkest times of mental ill health.

"The act of getting all those obsessive ideas out of my head, onto the page, was unbelievably cathartic.

"The very art of writing itself offered me a lifeline, an outlet and, above all else, hope.

“As a lifelong fan and freelance journalist, I grew tired of the clichéd coverage afforded to my team and I wanted to penetrate the stereotypes and unearth the hidden stories of bygone times.”

Ryan is currently receiving Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and taking medication to manage his OCD.

He added: “Life with obsessive-compulsive disorder is a constant fight.

"There’s a voice inside, or perhaps more accurately a force that urges me to do a certain thing, or things, repeatedly in pursuit of satisfaction.

"I cannot rest until I have completed tasks, actions and rituals but feel with the therapy and the book I’ve now reached a positive place.

“Rigorous self-analysis is a key component of recovery, and key decisions helped me take back control of my life.

“I gradually emerged from the darkness, reinvigorated and alive. The old Ryan came back, slowly but surely.”

Planet Prentonia is now available in paperback and Kindle eBook formats through Amazon:

Ryan’s writing about on his mental health can be found at