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Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan has been accused of posting a homophobic comment on social media.

The 41-year-old, who came through the ranks at Elland Road, has come under fire over a tweet said to have been posted from his account last week, reports the Coventry Telegraph.

Whelan also appeared for Coventry, Middlesbrough, Crystal Palace and Derby, but is alleged to have posted the comment on Twitter ahead of Leeds' trip to Brighton last Friday night.

He wrote: “Ok I’m taking a***hole insurance out for one night, this feels all wrong, sleeping back against the wall one eye open.”

Replies to the tweet, which has since been deleted, included “This isn’t going to end well” and “I would delete this”, while one City fan replied: “I have a 98 ccfc shirt upstairs with your name on the back. Kept all these years. Think I will chuck it away now.”

Whelan has been approached for a comment.

Whelan joined Coventry City from Leeds and 1995 and made over 100 appearances before being sold to Middlesbrough in 2000 by then manager Gordon Strachan.

The 41-year-old even applied for the manager’s role at the Sky Blues in 2010 following the sacking of Chris Coleman. The job was eventually taken on by Aidy Boothroyd.