Players should be given the right to refuse to return to action even if football’s ‘Project Restart’ proceeds amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to former Watford forward Marvin Sordell.

The 29-year-old, who retired from the game last summer to help protect his mental health, believes it must be a personal choice depending on a player’s individual circumstances.

He told the PA news agency: “Every single person has a different situation going on at home.

“It’s the last 10 minutes of the game and the smaller side are going to be under pressure because the pitch is so big. They’ve been tired out – imagine now that game was Manchester United vs Blackburn or Bolton for example.

“Towards the end of the game the pitch is going to feel bigger and bigger for the opposition. Whereas you say that same game is now being played at Bournemouth – really tight pitch, it’s a completely different match.

“So in that sense it isn’t fair – a game that they would almost always see as three points, becomes very different. People may say ‘it’s just a football match’ – it is, but at the highest level, every single detail counts big and this is the difference between places, which obviously makes a massive difference financially as well.”