Brentford striker Ivan Toney has opened up on his addiction to gambling following his eight-month ban from football.

Toney, who was initially eyed by Chelsea’s co-owner Todd Boehly, is banned until January 16, 2024, after admitting 232 breaches of the Football Association’s betting rules.

In a tell-all interview with YouTube channel, the Diary of a CEO, via the Daily Mail, Toney revealed that he no longer gambles and that he initially lied to investigators.

He also recalled that the scandal led to him being turned away by car insurers and restaurants.

The 27-year-old said: “I remember at the time when there was allegations, I wanted to go to a restaurant and they were like ‘no you can’t – we’re not taking you’.

“I was like ‘what do you mean?’ And then it was ‘the allegations, we’re not allowing you in or something like this. I was actually so confused. I was thinking ‘for starters, it’s allegations and second of all you are a restaurant how can you not let someone in because of bad press?’

“I was just baffled, and my car insurance, they wouldn’t insure me due to the whole scandal. And I was like “car insurance? They won’t have me on their books?”. It was baffling.”

Toney admitted he started having a “little flutter” in gambling when he was 15-years-old and that the more money he was paid ‘the higher the stakes were’.

🗣️ “None of it was match fixing. I was betting on myself to score first. I’m trying to do the right thing. It’s not like I’m smashing someone to get a yellow card.”

Ivan Toney speaks out regarding his 8-month ban from football for gambling offences.

[via @StevenBartlett]. pic.twitter.com/ZWf4Bd2x0S

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 21, 2023

On the 232 breaches he said there were some bets he “doesn’t recall making” but was “willing to take responsibility” to get the process “all over and done with”.

He added: “The impact it (betting) would have is waiting for payday. I’d pay for everything I need to sort and then I would be like ‘I’ve got this much to play with’.

“I took care of what needed to be taken care of then in my head it’s like ‘my money is my money and I can spend it how I want’.

Toney went on to say that it was a “grey area” in terms of what he knew he could bet on and what he couldn’t .

He also admitted that his original claims to investigators that he didn’t bet on football were inaccurate.

Toney said: “That was when they threw everything at me. I thought ‘I would deny it and then it’s all fine and they wouldn’t find anything’.

“Then everything went through and I admitted to what I have done.”

The FA’s document at the time his ban was announced revealed that a 15-month ban would have been imposed if not for Toney pleading guilty to the charges.

Photo Credit: ivantoney24/ X twitter

Tags: Brentford, Ivan Toney

Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta has spoken to Manchester United and Tottenham target David Raya about a potential move across west London instead.

Raya is out of contract at the end of next season, and the Spain international is reportedly eager to test himself among Europe’s elite.

Both United and Spurs are on the hunt for a new long-term shot-stopper to replace David de Gea and Hugo Llloris respectively.

The Brentford goalkeeper previously revealed he has already turned down two contract offers with the Bees, and his services look set to be battled over this summer.

Azpilicueta is hoping to support the club in the anticipated transfer tussle, as reported by Ben Jacobs in his CaughtOffside column.

The Spanish compatriots will likely have harboured a personal relationship during their exploits with their national side.

Both were called up to Luis Enrique’s squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the Chelsea defender has reportedly been in conversation with the Bees’ No.1 while on international duty.

Tags: Brentford, Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea, David Raya, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur