Saidou Khan has praised everyone at Swindon Town for their help with him mixing playing for the club and observing Ramadan.

The 28-year-old played last season during the month of fasting and will do so once again this season, with Ramadan having started on March 10 and running through until April 9, meaning that he will be unable to eat between dawn and sunset to observe one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Khan wrote an article for FIFPRO, the international footballers' trade union, about his experiences of juggling observing the fast with playing professional football.

He wrote: “A week before, they [Swindon] sat me down and made a plan for the month. They asked what I needed, I told them the basics, and they tailored a training programme and schedule that helped me perform around fasting and praying.

“Swindon last season really looked after me during Ramadan; they allowed me to go to training later in the day, so I wasn’t going in during breakfast when I was fasting, and it afforded me more time to rest.

“They even had the chef make meals to take home and when the team were having meals, I was able to take the time off to be in my room to read the Quran and prepare for my Iftar.”

Khan also revealed that his teammates had been equally understanding and had helped him to be as comfortable as possible.

He wrote: “My team-mates were incredibly supportive and every single one asked me what they could do to help me observe the month of Ramadan with ease.

“I told them I would struggle if they were eating in front of me – even the smell is a struggle! – so they all stayed away from me when eating.

“Even on journeys to and from away games, they would move to the front of the coach, away from me, if snacking. It was a small gesture that went a long way.

“Every player that I shared a room with for away games would ask what I needed and what time I had to be up at. If I needed to go to bed early, they would put their phones down and go to bed early as well.

“When I woke up in the morning to pray, they would give me space, and when they woke up in the morning to go for breakfast, they would do it quietly so that I got enough rest.”