Jack Butland believes he is a “better person and player” for coming through a difficult period in his career at Stoke as he prepares to face his former side for the first time tonight.
The Crystal Palace goalkeeper spent seven years at Stoke and admitted he had “forgotten to believe in myself” at the end of his time with the Potters.
Butland suffered a loss of form and confidence in his final season at the bet365 Stadium and said he got himself “in a spiral” as he struggled to cope.
But he has rebuilt his career since joining Palace in 2020 and the 28-year-old says he is stronger after coming through his tough times.
Butland, who will start in goal when Palace host Stoke in the fifth round of the FA Cup this evening, said: “The end to my time at Stoke was the first time I’ve really ever experienced a loss of form.
“It became quite an important learning curve for me. It took a lot of time and a lot of battling and got me quite down because I didn’t believe I had changed anything.
“In football we have difficult times. In life we have difficult times… You have those setbacks but they’re quite miniscule in terms of everything from there is quite simple: work hard, get back fit. A loss of form takes a completely different shape because it’s mental and it’s confidence.
“When I ended up not playing towards the end of that season [2019/20] I needed to… It was frustrating as hell - I hated every minute of not playing - but the benefit for the team at that point was me not playing. That was the hardest thing for me to swallow.
“During those months I ended up joining Palace it just occurred to me: I’ll always have the talent and ability - I still do - but I’d forgotten to believe in myself, had got myself in a spiral of not believing what was going on, not wanting to accept I wasn’t playing well.”
Speaking to the Palace matchday programme, Butland added: “In the end it took a change – coming to Palace.
"Now as a person and as a player I’m better for it, understanding myself a bit more and learning a bit of patience and just how powerful the mind can be. Now I feel back to my 18-year-old self; yeah, I’ve got a few more grey hairs than I did but I’m certainly as capable as I’ve ever been. I feel great.”
