Former Shamrock Rovers player Karl Sheppard has blasted the club's signing of a racehorse in conjunction with a betting company.
The League of Ireland champions announced on Wednesday evening, with the help of television presenter Jim White, that a major new signing was imminent.
But, while Rovers supporters thought a marquee player was joining the Tallaght club, it was confirmed on Thursday morning that the signing has four legs.
Gifted to their supporters by the club's principal sponsor 888sport, all prize money won by the horse will be donated to Shamrock Rovers’ official charity partners, including international humanitarian response agency GOAL.
But Rovers' partnership on the initiative with a gambling company has not gone down well in many quarters.
Retired player Sheppard, who had two spells with the Hoops, criticised the news on social media.
Citing a video which shows the unraced three-year-old welcomed to the club by manager Stephen Bradley, first team player Dylan Watts, and former jump jockey Barry Geraghty, Sheppard fumed: "When you are in a LOI dressing room you will see lads really struggling with gambling addiction. Retired players are now getting into real trouble because of this addiction.
"To see a great club like Shamrock Rovers promote gambling to this level is sickening to be honest!"
Similarly, Tommy Canning, a former Finn Harps coach and current Head of Treatment at Northlands Addiction Treatment Centre in Derry, wrote on Twitter: "Gambling addiction is crippling our society, mostly in the shadows.
"Football is littered with people suffering from it so to see Shamrock Rovers unashamedly promote their partnership with gambling is so disappointing."
The relationship between online gambling companies and sports teams has been a major talking point in recent decades, with Rovers, only one of many clubs on both sides of the Irish Sea, with bookmakers as their main sponsors.
The club hope that Rovers fans will name their filly via a social media competition, while a fan vote will also determine the silks she will carry during her career.
Rovers boss Bradley said: “As if winning a 19th League of Ireland title a few weeks ago wasn’t enough for our fans, they’ve all now got a share in a racehorse!
“We are extremely grateful to 888sport for gifting them the filly and we can’t wait to see her carrying the Rovers colours in the future.”
Meanwhile, legendary jockey Geraghty said of the horse: “She might only be a three-year-old, but she’s already got plenty about her and you’d be quite hopeful she can progress into a nice filly for the Shamrock Rovers fans.
“It’s always a real thrill to own a racehorse and it will be great to go down to Waterford to meet her and track her progress as she prepares to start her career.”
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