While Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Alex Scott and others stood in solidarity with Gary Lineker, Friday was just another pay day for Neil McCann and Cammy Bell as they showed that their solidarity is with the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Just before 5pm on Friday the BBC announced that Gary Lineker was stepping down from presenting Match of the Day because he had upset the Daily Mail and Daily Express over comments criticising the UK Government over plans to break the Human Rights Convention.
Following three days of hounding Lineker the state broadcaster took action which released a furious backlash. One by one regular pundits on MotD announced that they wouldn’t be taking part in the show- except for viewers in Scotland.
BBC Scotland has live rights to the left over Scottish Cup, ie the matches not involving teams from Glasgow.
As commentators on MOTD, we have decided to step down from tomorrow night’s broadcast. We are comforted that football fans who want to watch their teams should still be able to do so, as management can use World Feed commentary if they wish.
— Steve Wilson (@Wilsonfooty) March 10, 2023
McCann, Bell, Jane Lewis and Alasdair Lamont all clocked in for duty in Inverness while pundits and now commentators announced that they won’t be taking part in MotD. Only Lamont is on a BBC contract, the other three are freelance.
The BBC will still go ahead with MotD but there is an expectation this morning that EPL players won’t be doing post-match interviews which will leave the BBC highlights show looking much like the You Tube highlights available to all.
The BBC is wholly funded by licence payers, on Sunday Tom English will be eading up radio coverage of the agg-chasing from Murrayfield. Even if there are mass call offs it is extremely unlikely that English, known affectionately as House Paddy by his colleagues, would be put in front of the television cameras.
“We deserved to win it… I was thoroughly impressed”
Billy Dodds reacts as his Inverness Caledonian Thistle side beat Kilmarnock to book their place to the Scottish Cup semi-finals ???#BBCFootball #ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/QGXvyowPWo
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) March 10, 2023
Rangers hero Neil McCann fears £700k tax bill for EBTs as he battles ex-wife over £1million divorcehttps://t.co/n6TQGNa9Mb pic.twitter.com/xIQn3q26af
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) March 28, 2021
Orange cunts, i hate that snivelling retard. HH
3 ex rangers players and the frightful Jane Lewis in that clip.
How lucky are we in Scotland?
Typical blue nose ,right wing shit kicker ex Huns Tory supporters only in jockland.
ICT v Kilmarnock! 2 the Rangers men as trainee manager’s ,the BBC Scotland had Lamond ,Bell ,McCann and Lewis all big the Rangers advocates as the main presenters and Mikey Stewart as a token ‘neutral .’ Doesn’t it just warm the cockles of your heart knowing that our licence fee money is spent in such a generous way ? Can’t wait for the next installment !
With England turning it’s back on the rest of the world, it’s in danger of becoming a Hill-Billy backwater, just like the West of Scotland!