Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been diagnosed with a gambling addiction.

The 27-year-old was slapped with an eight month ban from football for breaking Football Association betting rules on gambling.

His ban was reduced from an original 11 month suspension due to the diagnosis.

Toney was found guilty of 232 breaches of FA betting rules whilst playing at Newcastle, Peterborough and several other clubs between February 2017 and January 2021.

It has now also been revealed that Toney bet on his team to lose 13 times, however he did not play in any of those matches.

Bees manager Thomas Frank said: “Football and gambling’s relationship needs a review. We got a massive reminder. Do we do enough to educate our players? The authorities have a massive task to make sure we do this much better,”

“If I can’t speak to him, I guess they will have to ban me as well. If I am not allowed to support him there must be something wrong.”

Toney is said to be “determined to address his gambling problem with therapy” and took said he “speak soon with no filter”.

The Professional Footballers’ Association offered Toney their support saying: “It is crucial that players are properly supported in taking the steps to seek help, and that processes covering punishments for gambling in football take proper account of the wellbeing of players”.