Move over, Moses, there’s a new shepherd in town…

With Wales in the throes of their first World Cup campaign since 1958, Irish bookmaker Paddy Power is getting behind its Celtic cousins to help bump the number of supporters ahead of their clash against England.

Employing the services of the tiny nation’s 10 million strong army of sheep (who outnumber the Welsh population 3:1) to quadruple their fanbase seemed the only logical course of action…

The well-known Irish bookie also enlisted the help of two Welsh footballing legends to lead the charge in cheering on the Red Dragons, ably assisted by 1,200 sheep who participated in Paddy Power’s outrageous bid to breathe fire down the throats of their neighbours before kick-off.

The arresting “SHEEP > LIONS” message was unveiled by former internationals Cliff Jones (87) and Terry Medwin (90) – the two surviving members of the last Wales team to reach the World Cup – at Gower Salt Marsh Farm, just outside Swansea.

Paddy Power, spokesman for the Irish betting firm of the same name said: “As an Irish brand, we know all about being underdogs at the World Cup. Unlike us, our Celtic cousins have made it to this tournament, and now, on the other side of the world, they face England.

“This is their cup final. They haven’t waited 64 years and travelled all that way to be troubled by a neighbour from back home. We wanted to send a message of support from sheep pen to Rob Page, and warn Southgate: Wales are coming to get ewe – and they plan on showing what they’re made of: courage, fearlessness…and 76.3% wool.”

Former Wales and Tottenham Hotspur star, Cliff Jones, said: “There’s no greater feeling for the Welsh than beating the English, no matter what the sport. It’s so ingrained in our culture even the sheep know it! This giant message of support from our treasured sheep population will inspire the boys out in Qatar even more!”

The 1,248 square metre sign contains up to 160 sheep per letter and sets a Guinness World Record for the largest ever sheep formation. Probably.

For those struggling to picture the scale of the message, the letters span 56 Gareth Bales wide and seven Aaron Ramseys high.

For those still struggling, that’s about the same size as the average World Cup football pitch wide and just shy of three double decker buses high.

Paddy Power’s “SHEEP > LIONS” message at Gower Salt Marsh Farm contains 1,200 sheep, spanning 104m in width, with individual letters reaching 12m in height