#42 | "I Wouldn't Pay A Penny To Change Him" | Paul Mullin On Albi, Autism & Being A Dad

Paul Mullin has scored goals in front of millions and become a household name through Welcome to Wrexham. But this one is about the part of his life the cameras rarely catch: being dad to Albi, his autistic son.

Gaz and Andy sit down with Paul for an honest, Albi-centric conversation about the regression that stopped his little boy in his tracks, the guilt that kept him up at night, and why he wouldn't change a single thing about his son. Plus the moment Albi found a way to tell him 'you're my best friend' without saying a word.

If you have ever felt like the only dad going through this, this one is for you.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome Paul Mullin

01:00 The first signs, and Albi after his 12-month jabs

02:00 Regression: like a click of the fingers

04:00 The guilt, and crying himself to sleep

04:30 I wouldn't pay a penny to change him

05:35 Denial, and getting the diagnosis

07:20 Speaking about it on Welcome to Wrexham

08:24 The hope that kills you

11:38 Why 'he'll be fine' doesn't help

13:00 Did he grieve? The problem-solver dad

16:14 Being a footballer dad: time away and routine

19:12 How Albi communicates now

22:15 Holidays: frozen meals, dry ice and the airport

25:40 Coming home: holidays, holidays, holidays

27:50 Razor-sharp awareness: he just knows

29:20 The crafty negotiator: jet skis and boats

33:40 The best friend clip

35:07 Macho on the pitch, in tears at home

35:48 Autism in Racing and giving back

38:26 Nobody ever asks the dad how he is

43:00 Advice to a dad just starting the journey

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