KYLE Lafferty, the Hearts and Northern Ireland striker, yesterday revealed he has been receiving treatment for gambling addiction.

Lafferty, a former Rangers player, was fined £23,000 by the Football Association last year while he was a player at Norwich City after admitting a misconduct charge.

Now the 30-year-old has confessed he has a serious problem and has been receiving professional help.

He was effusive in his praise of the support he has received at the Tynecastle club from owner Ann Budge, manager Craig Levein and coach Austin MacPhee as well as Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill.

“I’m ready to say I’ve got an addiction to gambling,” he told BBC Scotland.

“I spoke to Austin after training a while ago. I told him how it’s been, how much I’ve lost.

“I needed to speak to somebody and I knew I could trust him. Hearts have been incredible.

“I feel lucky to be at Hearts with so many supportive people around me. Austin, Craig Levein, Ann Budge - what they’ve done for me makes me feel stronger this time. Michael O’Neill has been brilliant as well.

“I’m here to sort my career and my life out. If I don’t go to meetings I know Austin will be on the phone and Craig will probably slap me across the head. I’ve got to sort this out.

“I know I’m going to take all sorts of grief off fans of other clubs. It’s a big thing to do what I’m doing. I’m not talking about this because I’m looking for sympathy.

“I could have got help in private and nobody would have known about it. I want to do it publicly because if there are any other footballers who are addicted to gambling, then maybe me speaking about my battle might help them.”