Arsenal fan and Slaughter and May corporate partner Nigel Boardman is advising the football club’s bitter rival, Tottenham Hotspur, on Chelsea’s allegedly illegal approach for Spurs sporting director Frank Arnesen.

Arsenal season ticket-holder Boardman is also advising Arsenal on the Ashley Cole ‘tapping up’ case.

“I’ve never been a great one for hate in football. The chant ‘stand up if you hate Tottenham’ has always made me cringe,” Boardman said.

Chelsea’s lawyers will be sick of the sight of Boardman after accusing him of assisting the Premier League inquiry into Chelsea’s illegal approach to Arsenal’s Ashley Cole.

Spurs’ allegations that Chelsea illegally approached Arnesen quickly followed the conclusion of the Cole inquiry. Chelsea and Cole are appealing against their fines.

Corporate ace Boardman insisted that this was not a new speciality for him and warned, “I hope there will be no more ‘tapping up’ inquiries after this one.”