Former Blues loanee Guirane N’Daw has admitted to lying about his age during his playing career.
The Senegalese international spent the 2012/13 season on loan with the Blues from St Etienne.
Midfielder N’Daw retired from professional football in 2016 and is officially 35 according to the record books. However, he admits he is actually older than that and claims the case is the same with most Senegalese players with European clubs.
"What is certain is that in Senegal, 99 per cent of players have reduced their age," he told IGFM.
"Senegalese [players] are generally very small and when he goes to Europe at 20, he will see that young people of 15 are stronger than him.
"Like all Senegalese, I lowered my age to be professional. In Africa, the player who does not lower his age cannot be professional [in Europe], it's a reality.”
N’Daw, who won 44 international caps, made 32 starts and two sub appearances for the Blues, scoring once.