Keys & Gray on women in football

Tbf Robbie Fowler used the same line on my cousin once in The Arkles

If this were Paul Ince we'd all be applauding how rock n roll he is.

Away back to sleep bet welching prick, cheers.

You beauty! Take a bow, son!

I hope that someone's recorded Mark Lawrenson saying something similar ;D

Andy Gray, the Sky Sports presenter at the centre of a sexism storm following derogatory comments about a female official, has been sacked by the broadcaster in response to "new evidence of unacceptable and offensive behaviour".

Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis, who yesterday disciplined both Gray and Richard Keys for their comments, said he had "no hesitation" in summarily terminating Gray's contract.

"Andy Gray's contract has been terminated for unacceptable behaviour. After issuing a warning yesterday, we have no hesitation in taking this action after becoming aware of new information today," he said.

Sky said in a statement that the new evidence related to "an off-air incident that took place in December 2010" and "came to light after Andy Gray had already been subjected to disciplinary action for his comments of 22 January 2011".

It is not clear whether the incident in question is a YouTube clip that emerged today that showed Gray making sexist comments to a co-presenter before going on air.

Gray, Sky's expert pundit for almost two decades in a long standing partnership with Keys, was originally suspended yesterday after a Sunday newspaper published a transcript of the pair criticising female match official Sian Massey during the Wolves v Liverpool match on Saturday.

The pair discussed Massey's appointment for the game at Molineux on Saturday, speaking when they believed their microphones were switched off. They agreed that female officials "don't know the offside rule", with Keys adding: "I can guarantee you there'll be a big one today. Kenny [Dalglish] will go potty."

Keys went to remark on the newspaper column by West Ham vice chair Karren Brady, saying: "The game's gone mad. See charming Karren Brady this morning complaining about sexism? Yeah. Do me a favour, love."

Brady said the comments made her "big belly boil " while England captain Rio Ferdinand labelled them "wankers".

Keys apologised to Massey, was idue to run the line tonight at a League Two match between Crewe and Bradford, by telephone on Sunday night.

Earlier today, a third Sky Sports presenter was taken off air. Andy Burton was shown discussing Sian Massey with Gray ahead of Saturday's match in footage leaked to sister channel Sky News.

Burton said "apparently, a female lino today, bit of a looker", with Gray responding: "A female linesman?"

"He says she [Massey] is all right," Burton continued, "now I don't know if I should trust his judgement on that?"

Gray then said: "No, I wouldn't. I definitely wouldn't ... I can see her from here," before swearing and adding: "What do women know about the offside rule?"

Burton had been due to appear in his role as a touchline reporter on Sky's coverage of tomorrow night's Carling Cup semi-final second leg between Birmingham City and West Ham but will now be replaced.

It is understood that Sky had originally planned to treat Gray's exchange with Burton as part of the same disciplinary charge but the emergence of the new evidence made his position untenable.

The former Everton and Aston Villa player, believed to be on a seven-figure salary and a key component in Sky Sports' growth story over 20 years, recently began legal action against the News of the World - another arm of Rupert Murdoch's empire - over phone hacking allegations.

Betfair, the online betting exchange endorsed by Gray, earlier today condemned the former player's behaviour but said it would not be dropping him from its advertising for now. Gray has been a very visible presence in its latest advertising campaigns.

"Betfair doesn't tolerate sexism, and we expect others who represent our brand to share similar values," said a spokesman. "We've expressed our disappointment to Andy Gray's representatives about the comments that have been reported in the media over the last 48 hours. At present we have no plans to change the way we work with Andy."

agreed.

Bye bye Richard.

has he been sacked too ?

He will be after that. Leaked by the same mole who turtleed the Gray "tuck it in, love" clip. Someone at Sky obviously wants them out.

user has doolooted there youtube account lol

Probably been tracked down by the Sky heavies.

His chin/neck is like a Rorschach painting

any re-ups of that deleted youtube, mr monobrow?

Conspiracy theorists are having a field day trying to piece together the extraordinary chain of events in which Andy Gray became embroiled.

Many of those who regularly saw him on their TV screens will be unaware that the 55-year-old pundit for Sky Sports (owned by BSkyB) is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the News Of The World (owned by News International).

And this connection has been seized upon on Twitter and the blogosphere. One Tweet reads ‘Andy Gray sues New (sic) of the World for phone tapping. Sexist tapes (mostly recorded by Sky) leaked. Coincidence?’ while a blog has been written entitled ‘Rupert Murdoch, phone-tapping and revenge against Gray’.

The current dilemma the presenter found himself in comes against a background of heavyweight political and financial interests.

For the News Of The World is a subsidiary of 79-year-old Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation which has a 39 per cent stake in BSkyB and is currently trying to buy the rest.

This is clearly a sensitive issue politically and in the week Mr Murdoch flew into TCOTU the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is considering whether to refer the deal to the Competition Commission because it might threaten ‘media plurality’.

But that is not Mr Gray’s concern. His anger is because, he claims, his phone was hacked by the News Of The World and, along with the comedian and actor Steve Coogan, he is trying to find out who was involved.

Both he and Coogan want Glenn Mulcaire, the private detective at the centre of the case, to name those at the Sunday newspaper who allegedly accessed their mobile phone voicemail and to whom the information was passed.

Mulcaire, who was jailed for six months for hacking into the phones of members of the Royal household. A full hearing for the case is scheduled for November this year.

To some, it seems a tad suspicious that just as the phone hacking story reaches a crescendo - with the resignation of David Cameron’s spokesman Andy Coulson - these TV recordings should mysteriously find their way into the public domain. What makes the leaks all the more surprising is that News Corp is known for its corporate discipline.

In the initial tapes, leaked to the Mail on Sunday, Gray and fellow presenter Richard Keys were recorded agreeing that a female football official would need the offside rule explaining to her because she was a woman.

Then came footage released by Sky showing Gray making disparaging remarks about a female match official. The fact it was put out by his own broadcaster begs the question of who, if anyone, high up gave the nod that this should happen.

But being targeted by his ‘own side’ should come as no surprise to the former Scotland player.

Four years ago The Sun (owned by News International) ran a piece about the ‘drunken antics’ of ‘love rat Gray, 50 - who last year got engaged to a friend’s wife’ in La Manga, Spain. Just in case readers were in any doubt as to which Andy Gray this may be the piece helpfully added ‘Gray, paid a whopping £20,000 a week by Sky Sports’.

They also brought up the former player’s past and the fact that he ‘bedded ex-model Rachel Lewis even though her hubby Michael, 57, had been his friend for more than 30 years. Gray then asked Rachel to marry him’.

Time will tell as to what further twists and turns lie ahead in this bewildering tale.

I'd imagine there'll be turtleed a dozen times by different people by the morning.

Transcript

Redknapp: [to crewmember stood behind camera] "Oh, that Louise, yeah, yeah?"
Redknapp: [to Souness] :"Did you meet her?"
Souness: "I didn't meet her but him, I met his dad..."
Keys: "Did you smash it?"
Redknapp: "I used to go out with her"
Keys: "Mind you, that's a stupid question, if you were anywhere near it."
[Keys and Redknapp both laugh]
Keys: "You definitely smashed it"
Keys: "You go round there any night and found Redknapp hanging out the back of it"
[Keys and Redknapp both laugh]

so to sum up

gray has been set up by murdoch and the news of the world