According to our sources, this rivalry can be traced back over two decades to a turbulent business venture. Back then, Benham was a key player at Bloom's company, Premier Bet, but their paths diverged in 2004 when Benham struck out on his own, founding Smartodds.

The fallout between the two was so bad that it ended up in court, with a settlement eventually reached. According to insiders, the crux of the disagreement was loyalty - a value that Bloom holds dear and expects in return.

One source close to the situation explained, "There were several individuals who went solo and became successful gamblers, and that was fine with Tony. But Benham took things a step further, adopting a similar business model. Loyalty is key to Tony, and he expects the same in return."

Despite the off-field drama, it was Benham who celebrated on Saturday, as Brentford outclassed Brighton in a thrilling 4-2 victory.