Some Premiership players are being treated for a double addiction to gambling and pornography. There is growing evidence that the lifestyle of the modern-day wealthy footballer is unhealthy, unmanageable and out of control. Too much money and insufficient “life skills” to use their free time constructively are being blamed by experts and players.

One well travelled Premiership striker, who has had treatment for porn addiction, said: “When I had my problem a couple of years ago, I was earning £20,000 a week. With so much free time I would get through a lot of money."“With laptops, you can get hooked on anything. It careers out of control. I was like a kid in a sweet shop. Laptops in hotel rooms are a bad thing. You’re in that room for one reason — to relax. If you have an addictive personality, computers don’t allow you to do that.”