LOW POINT
Rangers hero Kyle Lafferty reveals he suffered gambling relapse after going clean for over three years
He's also opened up about the sectarianism storm which he feels might have cost him his Northern Ireland career
FORMER Rangers star Kyle Lafferty has revealed that he recently suffered a relapse after going three-and-a-half years without gambling.
The ex-Ibrox star first went public with his betting struggles while he was playing at Hearts back in 2017.
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Since then he returned for a second spell at Rangers and two periods at Kilmarnock, in addition to stints in English football as well as Italy and Cyprus.
Now playing his football in the junior game with Johnstone Burgh, the big striker has held his hands up over a recent relapse - but insists he is in a "good place" having gone six months without betting.
He told the BBC: "I think I started when I was 12 and my last bet was six months ago.
"I was off it for three and a half years. Addiction is addiction.
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"If you don't follow your programs or control your addictions you fall back into and unfortunately I fell back into it.
"I went and got proper help from the right people and I'm now coming up to six months clean again."
Lafferty reckons hiding from addiction is the "worst thing you can do".
He said: "I've hid for many years with my addiction and the best thing I've done is speak about it.
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"I've helped a lot of people, people have contacted me to ask for advice to get through their addiction."
Lafferty, meanwhile, has spoken again about the sectarianism row which put an end to his Northern Ireland career.
GO BALLISTIC Kris Boyd questions whether new Rangers sporting director Nils Koppen has earned his promotion
He was filmed in a viral video clip using sectarian language after a Celtic fan pranked him in a nightclub.
The former Rangers star said: "I'm not going to sit here and blame anyone else, the words came out of my mouth.
"It could have been handled better slightly, maybe. I felt I was flung under the bus in a way.
"Never getting a call-up since, was it down to that video? I don't know."
"It is tough not being able to play my last game at Windsor in front of the fans, I had a great relationship with them.
"I like to think they always knew I was giving 110% but it is what it is. It's football, you make mistakes and you have to live with them."
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