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 the online bookmaker Dafabet while Rangers have a similar deal with 32Red.

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

On the inside cover of the programme there were shots of Celtic trio 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 the game.

Similarly, images of Rangers players 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 in the ads.

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 the betting company apologised and claimed it was an honest mistake by the designer of the adverts.

A spokesman for William Hill 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 we can assure both clubs there will be no issue in the programme for the final.”

Dafabet signed a four-year deal with Celtic in May 2016 which was described by Parkhead chief executive Peter Lawwell as the biggest of its kind in Scottish football history.

It is understood the backing is worth over £2.6m per season but with major bonuses particularly for Champions League qualification which, of course, was achieved this season by Brendan Rodgers’ side.

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