Doncaster winger Jon Taylor has warned of a generation of young players facing mental health issues due to the intense pressures they face to succeed in the professional ranks.

Taylor believes a combination of social media use and the coronavirus crisis has increased the urgency to encourage players to express their concerns rather than bottle them up through a "fear of failure".

Taylor recalled the "dark times" he endured after being abruptly released by Wigan at the age of 16, and the crucial role of family and friends in helping him avoid serious mental health issues of his own to ultimately realise his ambitions.

Birmingham are the latest club to announce plans to restructure their academy system that recently brought through Jude Bellingham, citing the need to "increase productivity, opportunity and pathway."

Taylor added: "There are going to be so many young players without a club next year, and it's going to be a tough time for everyone.

"It's even harder these days because you have people judging you every single day on social media, and suddenly one day you're not the person everyone thought you were.

"It's hard to cope in that situation, and a lot of players suffer in silence. But they will find that when they can talk to someone they will feel a lot better. It is about finding the right person and someone you can relate to."

In common with other EFL clubs, Doncaster will be launching a series of virtual and potentially in-person sessions up to the end of January, designed to give supporters a space to meet and talk.