Former Man United captain Roy Keane suing Paddy Power over photo

Roy Keane is suing bookmaker Paddy Power over a Braveheart billboard promotion.

The betting giant is facing a lawsuit in the Dublin courts after it parked a lorry near the Aviva Stadium on a match day emblazoned with a mocked up image of the star as William Wallace.

The 40ft truck was seen outside the ground as the Republic of Ireland played Scotland in a Euro 2016 qualifier.

True to the bookie's normally irreverent marketing style, the ad referenced Scottish voters' rejection of independence last year and said: "You may take our points but at least we have our freedom (ya wee pussies)."

No hearings have taken place in the High Court but it is understood Keane, the Irish soccer team's assistant manager, will claim it infringed his image rights.

And being no stranger to rows over its ads, marketing and promotions, Paddy Power stuck with its usually upbeat approach.

"Roy Keane has taken legal action against us following his face appearing on our braveheart billboard ahead of the Ireland Scotland game, it's with the lawyers so obviously we can't talk about it, but hopefully they won't take our freedom to have a bit of craic," a spokesman said.

Paddy Power is no stranger to cheeky publicity stunts including putting bubble wrap around one of their shops, and a dog and a bike at the front window, ahead of last month's friendly with England.

The bookie said it was "Yob-Proofing" the front of the betting office, a dig at the 20 years since England fans rioted in Dublin.

Both sides in the latest dispute are being represented by some of Ireland's biggest law firms, Keane by A&L Goodbody and Paddy Power hired Arthur Cox with papers only lodged by Keane's lawyers at the start of the week.

No date has been set for hearings.