Sexist Pig Loses Job Shock

Andy Gray has been sacked by Sky Sports in the wake of his comments about a female match official before a game at the weekend. Having been recorded making sexist comments about Sian Massey, who was running the line during the Wolves v Liverpool clash on Saturday, it now emerges that he made a sexist comment to Sky Sports News presenter Charlotte Jackson when he asked her to tuck in his shirt.

Sky said they terminated Gray's contract "in response to new evidence of unacceptable and offensive behaviour".

Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis said: "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."

Listening to the debate last night when the original comments had become public knowledge was enlightening in itself, and I couldn't help thinking that the former England fast bowler Darren Gough must live in some parallel universe. Trying valiantly to conceal his natural Northern machismo he referred to women as girls, said it was a fact that women can't run as fast as men and that any women linesman (assistant referee) would get more stick than a male counterpart. Really? In the real world?

I actually played when women were first being encouraged to become referees, Wendy Toms started her career with the Dorset FA, and she was the referee end of story. She wasn't a girl, we didn't call her love and at half time I didn't offer her a suck of my orange.

As for Gray's comment towards Charlotte Jackson, I honestly think it was vile and disgusting, and not just because he's fiftysomething and she's twentysomething. Making that sort of suggestion to a female colleague is so out of order I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

It was interesting hearing Darren Gough trying to defend this as well tonight, he simply couldn't grasp the idea that once you have signed an employment contract and you are at work you don't have such things as 'private conversations' - apart from during your lunch break, the rest of the time you are a paid employee.

I'm glad Gray has gone, it's a pity he didn't go for footballing reasons because as I have posted before I think he passed his sell-by date about ten years ago. Constantly haranguing referees and trying not to be too objective and criticise his mates had made him a caricature of his old self.