Wolves have slammed reports of a betting culture at Molineux as “lies” after a tabloid claimed four first-team players and a youth teamer were “gambling too much.”

A report in the Daily Mirror claimed boss Mick McCarthy called in experts from the Sporting Chance clinic to address alleged gambling issues.

But McCarthy has blasted the report as false, insisting the regular visits that have been taking place over the last 18 months have been preventative rather than reactionary.

Trained counsellors and recovering addicts Jeff Whitley and Mike Wood take groups of mainly academy players to warn them of the dangers of drugs, alcohol and gambling.

McCarthy had Whitley as a player at Sunderland, while Wood is a close friend going back to his playing days at Manchester City.

The manager said: “We do not have a gambling problem at Wolves, nor have we had one in the past, and to suggest we have is just lies.

“Yes, we do have people come in to talk to the first team players and academy players, talking to them about gambling and drinking and drugs.

“We have a sports therapist Bill Stevens, as well as former player Jeff Whitley and trained counsellor Mike Wood who come in on a regular basis.

“But, as I said to the reporter concerned, that is purely a preventative measure rather than a reaction to anything that has happened before.

“It’s pastoral care – and it’s fantastic that the club are so supportive of it. It’s prevention rather than cure – you don’t wait until someone is ill to bring in a doctor or wait until someone is injured before you bring in a physiotherapist.

“There are always potential threats around for players, but we take our responsibilities very seriously which is why we have these specialists.”

McCarthy was irritated that the allegation was not put to him during yesterday’s Press briefing, instead his quotes about the work Wolves carry out with their first-team and academy players was ‘spun.’

He added: “It saddens me that a lot of positive work we’re doing with our players should be reported in this way – but I’m not surprised.”