All bets are off for LTA

THE Lawn Tennis Association will not consider betting companies for tournament sponsorship when their long-running £5million-a-year Aegon deal expires at the end of the year.

This comes after the FA debated whether to take bookmakers’ money in future, although the £4m-a-year betting partnership with Ladbrokes is unlikely to be ripped up with three years to run.

Replacing Aegon for similar value will be difficult for the LTA in a crowded marketplace, but they would prefer their flagship competition at Queen’s to be backed by a bluechip company with a youthful following, as opposed to a pension company.

However, the LTA are in the fortunate position of being bankrolled to the tune of £30m a year by Wimbledon’s wealthy All England Club. THE way Patrick Vieira — an Arsenal great as a player — has been lost to Manchester City on the management and coaching front has made Chelsea all the more determined to keep reminding Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech that he is still part of the Stamford Bridge family. Cech is in a special Chelsea quartet along with John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba who will always be regarded as favourite sons. THE irony is not lost on Derby County that in a week when chief executive Sam Rush was dismissed for gross misconduct, chief operating officer and former policeman John Vicars has been appointed a club director. Vicars worked in an anti-corruption unit before joining Derby. STUART

BROAD’S adidas ambassador role will be interesting now that England cricket have switched their kit supply deal to New Balance, who have Broad’s Test team-mates Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood in similar roles. However, the ECB are relaxed about the paceman or any other England cricketer advertising rival sponsors provided it does not happen on international duty.