Brentford striker Ivan Toney is available for selection in the Premier League after coming close to falling out of love for the game during his ban.
Ahead of his much-anticipated return to football, Brentford superstar Ivan Toney has detailed how he almost fell out of love with the game during his lengthy ban for gambling.
Toney was suspended for eight months over accusations that he breached 262 FA betting rules.
Toney's Ban for Betting
The Brentford star was banned from football until January after being found guilty of a betting breach.
The 27-year-old Brentford star was charged with breaking FA betting guidelines. After admitting to several charges, he was punished and banned from playing for Brentford or England until January 16.
He was charged with infractions that ranged from February 25, 2017, until January 23, 2021.
The England international, who was charged with 262 breaches of the FA betting regulations, 232 of which he admitted, while the remaining 30 were withdrawn, is now available for Brentford in the Premier League.
Brentford's star on love and football
Toney's ban will end next week, with the talented and in-demand star set to be available for selection for the Bees in the Premier League again.
Ahead of his return, the striker told Sky Sports in an interview that he nearly fell out of love with the game and wants to repay his team for their support.
"In the first place, personally I didn't watch football for a while, for a month and a bit," Toney said.
"I'd only really watch Brentford games but I would flick it on now and then, just listening in the background for the chances or scoreline, things like that."
"There was a stage where I fell out of love with football," he added. "But then, football is all I know really. Playing football from a young age, it's what I am used to. Missing the game for a while and not being around my teammates was tough."
The England striker marked his return to action for Brentford with an impressive hat-trick in his first match following an eight-month ban for gambling.
Toney inspired the Brentford B team to an emphatic 5-1 thrashing of Southampton in the English Premier League 2, scoring a hat-trick.
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