Adrian Mariappa loaned Troy Deeney £10,000 to support his family when striker was in prison

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Giuseppe Muro20 December 2017

Watford defender Adrian Mariappa has revealed he loaned team-mate Troy Deeney £10,000 to support his family when the striker was in prison.

Deeney spent two months behind bars in 2012 for an attack on a group of students in Birmingham.

The forward had his wages suspended by Watford and Mariappa stepped in to help his family.

Mariappa said: “It is what you do for someone you care about. He was going through a tough time.

“I used to write to him and spoke to him a few times. He asked me to do something and I did it as I am sure that he would have done the same for me.”

Mariappa rejoined Watford in 2016 after spells at Reading and Crystal Palace, but kept in contact with Deeney during that time.

“I have known Troy for a long time now and even when I left we kept in touch,” he said.

Watford retained Deeney following his release from prison and he helped them get promoted to the Premier League three years later in 2015

Deeney has scored 25 in the Premier League since then but the Watford captain has been handed a four-match ban after he lost an appeal against the red card against Huddersfield.

The 29-year-old was shown a straight red card during Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Vicarage Road for a late tackle on Collin Quaner.

Deeney will miss matches against Brighton, Leicester City, Swansea and Manchester City.

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