---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can honestly say that relegation is the…"
description: "\"I can honestly say that relegation is the single most traumatic experience you can have in a football career.\" — David James"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/david-james-4110_career_i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-th_1409373.png"
---

#  I can honestly say that relegation is the single most…

![“I can honestly say that relegation is the single most traumatic experience you can have in a football career.” quote by David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/david-james-4110_career_i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-th_1409373.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/david-james-4110_career_i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-th_1409373.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/david-james-4110_career_i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-th_1409373.png)

> “I can honestly say that relegation is the single most traumatic experience you can have in a football career.”

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Relegation is described as the most traumatic event a football player can experience.

**In simple terms:** Being demoted is extremely distressing for athletes.

Key Takeaway

Prepare mentally for setbacks.

Themes

sports psychology career setbacks

Mood

empathetic motivational

Type

sports psychological

When to use this quote

- team management
- player counseling
- career planning
- performance analysis

Key Concepts

athlete resilience career trajectory mental health

Questions to Reflect On

- How can players bounce back from demotion?
- What support systems help during career lows?

A Different Perspective

May not apply to all athletes equally.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/)

## Related quotes

> [The death of a child is the single most traumatic event in medicine. To lose a child is to lose a piece of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-burton-grebin/the-death-of-a-child-is-the-single-most-traumatic-event-in-medicine/)

Dr Burton Grebin

> [“A breakup is the single most traumatic event in the life of a woman outside of a death. Some women can take years to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-kantor/a-breakup-is-the-single-most-traumatic-event-in-the-life-of-a-woman/)

[Melissa Kantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-kantor/)

> [Growing up in a violent home is a terrifying and traumatic experience that can affect every aspect of a child's life, growth, and development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-roybal-allard/growing-up-in-a-violent-home-is-a-terrifying-and-traumatic-experience/)

[Lucille Roybal-Allard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-roybal-allard/)

> [I think there's a huge - there's a huge desire in me to make sense of the world in a way that I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khoi-vinh/i-think-there-s-a-huge-there-s-a-huge-desire-in-me-to-make-sense-of/)

[Khoi Vinh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khoi-vinh/)

> [After a traumatic experience, the human system of self-preservation seems to go onto permanent alert, as if the danger might return at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-lewis-herman/after-a-traumatic-experience-the-human-system-of-self-preservation/)

[Judith Lewis Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-lewis-herman/)

> [I was born in Vancouver, moved to Los Angeles and when my parents split up, gradually moved back up the west coast. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-jackson/i-was-born-in-vancouver-moved-to-los-angeles-and-when-my-parents/)

[Joshua Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-jackson/)

> [“People change two ways --- with slow persistent pressure, or with a single and sudden traumatic experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mikaelsen/people-change-two-ways-with-slow-persistent-pressure-or-with-a-single/)

[Ben Mikaelsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mikaelsen/)

> [“If Freud turns to literature to describe traumatic experience, it is because literature, like psychoanalysis, is interested in the complex relation between knowing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-caruth/if-freud-turns-to-literature-to-describe-traumatic-experience-it-is/)

Cathy Caruth

> [When you have a traumatic experience, you look at your mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/when-you-have-a-traumatic-experience-you-look-at-your-mindset/)

[Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/)

> [“It is indeed the truth of the traumatic experience that forms the center of its psychopathology; it is not a pathology of falsehood or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-caruth/it-is-indeed-the-truth-of-the-traumatic-experience-that-forms-the/)

Cathy Caruth

> [My dad took me to my first movie. It was 'The Greatest Show on Earth' in 1952, a movie of such scale it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/my-dad-took-me-to-my-first-movie-it-was-the-greatest-show-on-earth-in/)

[Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/)

> [Over a period of 11 months, I was constantly afraid that Youth Care would lock me up. It was all a frightening and traumatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dekker/over-a-period-of-11-months-i-was-constantly-afraid-that-youth-care/)

[Laura Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dekker/)

> [“I don't remember much about being born but I hear it's quite a traumatic experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-wohl/i-don-t-remember-much-about-being-born-but-i-hear-it-s-quite-a/)

[Phil Wohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-wohl/)

> [“Lewis's mental map of reality had difficulty accommodating the trauma of the Great War. Like so many, he found the settled way of looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/lewis-s-mental-map-of-reality-had-difficulty-accommodating-the-trauma/)

[Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/)

> [It's often said that a traumatic experience early in life marks a person forever, pulls her out of line, saying, "Stay there. Don't move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/it-s-often-said-that-a-traumatic-experience-early-in-life-marks-a/)

[Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/)

## More by David James

> [Appearance records are pretty special. Mine means a lot to me, not only because I love stats, but because it shows that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/appearance-records-are-pretty-special-mine-means-a-lot-to-me-not-only/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [The loyalty of football supporters is extraordinary and testament to the game's power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/the-loyalty-of-football-supporters-is-extraordinary-and-testament-to/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [Football as an industry invests a huge amount of energy and cash into serving local communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/football-as-an-industry-invests-a-huge-amount-of-energy-and-cash-into/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [Tommy Smith was the hardman of football at Liverpool, yet after a load of cortisone injections and repeatedly playing on through injuries he now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/tommy-smith-was-the-hardman-of-football-at-liverpool-yet-after-a-load/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [Football should be a game for all, so why are football magazines in the 'men's lifestyle' section of the news stands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/football-should-be-a-game-for-all-so-why-are-football-magazines-in/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [“Sometimes being brave just means falling in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/sometimes-being-brave-just-means-falling-in-love/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [Right now, there are millions of pairs of football boots that people have grown out of or replaced, and we need to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/right-now-there-are-millions-of-pairs-of-football-boots-that-people/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [Women and football have come a long way since I was at school. In those days, as far as I was concerned, football was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/women-and-football-have-come-a-long-way-since-i-was-at-school-in/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [“I said, “But I am, Samuel. I am cursed. You’ve seen my mother. You know that is my destiny.” “I know,” he said. “But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/i-said-but-i-am-samuel-i-am-cursed-you-ve-seen-my-mother-you-know/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [Even if you did want to rely solely on stats to run your team, how accurate is the information if it is being assembled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/even-if-you-did-want-to-rely-solely-on-stats-to-run-your-team-how/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [Me and my friends started playing because we loved the game and the social aspect of it. We weren't dreaming of playing for England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/me-and-my-friends-started-playing-because-we-loved-the-game-and-the/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [When you earn money, you want to show it off - everybody does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/when-you-earn-money-you-want-to-show-it-off-everybody-does/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [You get footballers in adverts lying through their teeth to say that their boot is the best ever. And all the kids, including mine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/you-get-footballers-in-adverts-lying-through-their-teeth-to-say-that/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [It's easy to get carried away with results, good and bad, but you've got to keep it in context.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/it-s-easy-to-get-carried-away-with-results-good-and-bad-but-you-ve/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

> [With regards to the playing side of things, I don't look at myself as any different from the guy who gets changed next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/with-regards-to-the-playing-side-of-things-i-don-t-look-at-myself-as/)

[David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

[Explore all 116 David James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/)

## More Career quotes

> [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/)

Alison James

> [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/)

[Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/)

> [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/)

[Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/)

> [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/)

[Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/)

> [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/)

[Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/)

> [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/)

[John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/)

> [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/)

[Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/)

> [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/)

[Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/)

[Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/)

[Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I can honestly say that relegation is the single most traumatic experience you can have in a football career.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David James"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-the-single-most-traumatic/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Career"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-the-single-most-traumatic/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/david-james-4110_career_i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-th_1409373.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/david-james-4110_career_i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-th_1409373.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/david-james-4110_career_i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-th_1409373.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I can honestly say that relegation is the single most traumatic experience you can have in a football career.” — David James",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David James",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I can honestly say that relegation...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-the-single-most-traumatic/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/i-can-honestly-say-that-relegation-is-the-single-most-traumatic/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
