Premiership football club Tottenham Hotspur today struck a landmark new shirt sponsorship deal with Mansion, the internet casino operator - set to be worth at least £34 million over the next four seasons.

The deal, hailed as one of the top ten largest shirt sponsorship agreements ever, will mark a consolation prize for Spurs, which despite enjoying its best performance in the Premiership this season, failed at the last gasp to secure a place in next year's Champions League.

A crunch match against West Ham on the last day of the Premiership season saw Spurs lose in a penalty shoot-out, not helped by 10 of its players going down with food poisoning.

Spurs finished the season in fifth place, just behind arch London rivals Arsenal, but still qualify to play in next year's UEFA Cup competition.

Mansion, which only launched in September 2004, hit the headlines earlier this year after being rebuffed by Manchester United in talks over a far larger shirt sponsorship arrangement.

United were thought to have been nervous about what would have been a close assocation with the gambling industry. As an operator of both internet sites and land-based entertainments, Mansion runs a sports exchange, online poker and has casino and hotel interests.

As they unveiled the shirt deal - which will see Mansion replace holiday company Thomson as from July, the two companies reserved the right to expand the new relationship further.

"Mansion will partner Tottenham Hotspur across a wide range of commercial activities including the extension and expansion of the club's brand into key territories across Asia and other important international markets ... and other special commercial projects that may be of mutual interest and benefit to both Tottenham Hotspur and Mansion," they said.

The two will together develop and international supporters' club to help develop the Spurs brand and a co-branded internet gaming site with a joint share of the revenues.

Shares in Spurs, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market, lost 0.5p to 46p this morning, valuing the club at £43.44 million.

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