The Professional Footballers' Association has pledged to back Marlon King should the jailed striker reform and attempt to re-launch his career.
King, 29, was sacked by Wigan Athletic last week after he was handed an 18-month prison sentence when found guilty of causing actual bodily harm for assaulting a woman in a London nightclub.
"Everybody in life can have big problems to face and this is probably his biggest and I hope he's able to overcome it and if he needs help to get his life back on track I assure you we'll be there for him," said PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor.
"We will be pleased to give any of our members who has got problems support to get his life and his career back on track.
"We have a known record for that. I think we've got almost 50 cases in the past few years where such help has been requested and been given and for the most part we're pleased to say it has been successful."
Taylor believes King could re-launch his career should he prove to be a reformed character following his release.
He added:"If he serves his time, is contrite and shows a willingness to get his life back on track then that is his skill and that's the right of every individual.
"There are many managers who have taken on players who've had chequered careers both on and off the field. Sometimes they have been able to change them and other times not.
"It's not going to be an easy situation to accept but I would hope with the passage of time, with the right approach from Marlon and the willingness to get his life back on track,then that's a situation that hopefully may resolve itself and he's still young enough to be able to do that."
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