League of Ireland clubs in no position to reject betting companies, Alan Mathews insists

Alan Mathews says it is only right Airtricity League clubs, struggling for finance in the middle of a pandemic, should be allowed pursue sponsorship deals with the gambling industry

St Patrick's Athletic first team manager Alan Mathews:  I think each club has the right to make its own decisions itself. Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

St Patrick’s Athletic first-team manager Alan Mathews believes it is only right that League of Ireland clubs continue to have the right to pursue sponsorship deals with gambling companies.

The FAI recently decided against a tie-in with Paddy Power with chief executive Jonathan Hill explaining that having a betting partner “was not something they wanted to pursue”. The GAA and English FA are other bodies to have turned their backs on betting tie-ins in recent years.