Keith Gillespie: Former Manchester United winger supports ban on gambling sponsorship on shirts
- Published
West Ham and Leeds United are among the teams with gambling sponsorship on their shirts
Former Manchester United, Newcastle and Northern Ireland winger Keith Gillespie says gambling sponsorship on football clubs' shirts "shouldn't be allowed".
The Premier League has asked clubs to vote on whether to bring in a voluntary ban on gambling sponsorship on shirts before potential government action.
Gillespie lost £47,000 in one day during his gambling addiction.
"It's a bit too much - it shouldn't be involved in the sport that way," the 47-year-old told Sportsound Meets.
Half of last season's 20 top-flight teams had betting sponsors on their shirts and the Premier League is supportive of a voluntary move where gambling sponsors are phased out within three years.
Gillespie, who won 86 international caps, has been outspoken on his gambling addiction which left him bankrupt in 2011 despite career earnings of more than £7m.
Card table
"With all teams you're going to have certain types of people - especially on buses, you'll have a card table with boys betting all day, boys reading and boys on their iPads," added Gillespie, who also played for Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and Sheffield United.
"You going to have that at every club and you are never going to eliminate gambling.
Keith Gillespie's gambling addiction began as an apprentice at Manchester United
"You're watching a game on Sunday and the half-time whistle goes - all people have to do is reach for the phone. Years ago you couldn't do these in-running bets.
"It's crazy what you can get a bet on nowadays. Who's going to get the next corner or who's going to get the next yellow card.
"If you wanted to get a bet on a football game years ago you had to bet at the start of it and that was it. It's worse than it's ever been."
Click here to hear the full interview with Keith Gillespie on BBC Radio Ulster's Sportsound Meets