'Gambling was detrimental to my career'

As part of Responsible Gambling Week, 'Sky Sports' spoke to the former Reading midfielder and asked him what kind of affect gambling has had on his life. 

"It affected a lot of people for a long time. But it got to not only rock bottom for me, but for them as well," Davies, who now plays for Slough Town, told 'Sky Sports News'.

The footballer has spent nearly £250,000 betting, however is now in rehab for his addiction. 

"I was in the bookies one day and my mum was stood at the door. I didn't realise she was there, I turned around and she was in floods of tears.

"I thought to myself, I can't put my family through this any longer, I can't live this life any longer because it became a routine for me. Going to training and then going to the bookies for as long as I could and that routine needed to stop.

"My mum put me in contact with a rehab clinic and I was in rehab within three or four weeks."

The 30-year-old admitted he did not have time to train because he was always gambling and wants other players to know there is help out there.

"There is always going to be gambling in society now with the way that it is," he added.

"It's so accessible but the problem is making sure these players have got the education on gambling and how it can be detrimental and that's exactly what we are doing.

"It was detrimental to my career but now that the more players we see, I believe it's 15,000 players in the next five years, I think that's something which should be commended and I just think the more people we can educate, the less problems we'll face."