Former Premier League defender Greg Halford fights back tears as he reveals autism diagnosis

Former Premier League defender Greg Halford has bravely opened up about his autism diagnosis.

The 38-year-old joined Sunderland from Reading in 2007, making just nine appearances, before he was loaned out and then sold to Wolves in 2009.

He would later find out that he was on the autism spectrum after his son was born and he was diagnosed with the disorder.

Speaking on the Undr The Cosh podcast, Halford shed light on the difficulties of trying to settle in while playing for the Black Cats.

'I haven't told anyone this in the football world or anything but I'm on the spectrum of autism,' he said.

'So, change, and not knowing at that time, fitting into a new group of people and changing, the way I live, where I live, being away from my family, my girlfriend at the time. I found it very, very hard.

'It was hard to interact with people. After training, I never wanted to go into the cafeteria because I didn't want to be around. I felt awkward. It was just a weird sensation so I would just go home.

'Being on the pitch is completely different, that's my area, I can control myself there.  But when it's small intimate groups, I found it very difficult at that sort of time.'

During his career, the former England youth international made over 500 club appearances, playing in the Premier League, Football League and also in Scotland and Ireland.

Playing for 17 different clubs in his career, he added that these new experiences helped him with his condition. 

Halford now plays for non-league side Hashtag United, having joined the club last summer.