Cup sponsors airbrushed out Old Firm backers

SCOTTISH Cup sponsors William Hill are at the centre of a row with rival betting companies who back Celtic and Rangers.

Celtic’s main club sponsor is Dafabet while Rangers have a deal with 32Red.

However, branding of both companies on images of each club’s top players were removed in William Hill adverts used in the official matchday programme for Sunday’s semi-final at Hampden.

On the inside cover were shots of James Forrest, Scott Brown and Scott Sinclair promoting a William Hill betting offer of 2/1 on both sides scoring in 90 minutes and Celtic winning.

Similarly, images of Joe Garner, Kenny Miller and Martyn Waghorn were used on the inside back cover as Hills offered 10/1 on Rangers winning in 90 minutes with both sides scoring.

However, the club sponsors’ branding was edited out of each image.

Celtic spoke to SFA officials at Hampden on Sunday when they became aware of the situation and the matter has been raised internally by the governing body.

Last night William Hill apologised and said it was an honest mistake by the designer of the adverts.

A spokesman said: “It was an oversight on our part and we apologise to both clubs. It was an honest mistake by the designer as he had looked at previous adverts where drinks sponsors had been removed from images as we don’t like mixing drinking and gambling.

“It shouldn’t have happened and we can assure Celtic – and Aberdeen for that matter – that there will be no issue in the programme for the final.”

Dafabet signed a fouryear deal with Celtic in May 2016 understood to be worth over £2.6million per season but with major bonuses particularly for Champions League qualification.

Rangers signed an undisclosed deal with 32Red in 2014 that will expire at the end of this season.