Troy Deeney claims that every football team has one gay player and encouraged them to open up about their sexuality.
The late Justin Fashanu is the only player who came out publicly to reveal his sexuality in British football and the Watford captain has insisted there are many others playing the game.
The father of two kids and now divorced has encouraged athletes to come out as gay, suggesting that it would remain a heavy burden if they fail to do so.
"I would go on record saying that there is probably one gay or bi-person in every football team. They're there, they are 100 per cent there," Deeney said on BBC's Grounded with Louis Theroux podcast.
"I think people that are gay or from that community definitely are very worried about having to shoulder the responsibility of being the first. I think once the first comes out, there would be loads.
"If he come out and said it, I genuinely believe you would get in the first week at least 100 people that went 'me too'. Just because they don't want to be the face of it."
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