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There comes a time in life when most working-class lads get sat down by their dads for ‘the talk’.

It’s not the birds and bees chat. Don’t be daft.

Scottish youngsters learned that stuff from bits of mags found in the bushes, not some heart-to-heart with the auld man.

Nah, when it comes to the talk, it’s about the perilous path most of us in Scotland have to take when venturing into adulthood.

The demon drink and the painful punt. Booze and gambling.

Two of the great vices in life and two of the most dangerous. Every dad knows it. There’s always a tale of woe, a relative who fell off the family tree and hit every branch on the way down.

My own old man warned me that the drink was bad – but gambling was arguably worse.

It takes time to lose your health and house with the bevvy.

You can lose your place overnight with the punting and God help you if you get hooked on both. It’s an express train to no-man’s land and there are few return tickets.

We all know the risks and some of us walk a fine line.

We all love the stories about the crossbar coupons, the nailed-on nag beaten by a nose and the night out that ended up with your pal upside down in a bin.

But there is something unsettling about booze and betting companies getting their teeth in our other national obsession. Football.

For years, our game has had the backing of drinks companies and betting firms. Fair play, they’ve sunk in plenty of cash over the years and the relationship hasn’t been toxic for either but it’s time for us to part ways.

Ladbrokes confirmed last week they won’t be continuing to sponsor the SPFL beyond the end of the season.

They won’t be the last. Betfred’s deal with the League Cup is up at the end of term, as is William Hill's with the Scottish Cup.

All three have been decent partners for Scottish football but the time is right to part ways.

Look on it as an opportunity. A chance to take a new path.

There are plenty of Scottish brands who should be getting whispered sweet nothings. Leave nothing off the table. Including naming the leagues.

The Premiership, Championship, League One and League Two labels are guff anyway. It’s too much like the old English model.

Get shot of this SPFL tag as well, it sounds more like a pet charity than a sexy fitba’ set up.

Get creative. Get a brand that becomes synonymous with the competition, a bit like the Heineken Cup did, just not with a bevvy firm.

Instead, hit Highland Spring, Baxters, McVities, Arnold Clark and the other blue-chip companies. The last deal was worth £2.5m a year – that’s small change to these global brands.

Even more bold, video game giants Rockstar’s roots were in Dundee. They’ve a balance sheet with more numbers than Pi and marketing departments who can sell ice lollies to the Eskimos. Let them work their magic on us.

We’ve a TV deal until 2025 and rights punted all over the world. Stick their name on the division and see if it flies. Booze and betting will always be part of Scottish life but it’s time to toast a new partner and take a punt on something new.