Match of the Day

AXED Match of the Day pundit Mark Lawrenson has slammed the BBC as “top of the woke league.”The former Liverpool star was one of their top stars for three decades.Mark Lawrenson claims the BBC are ‘top of the woke league’Lawrenson previously claimed he was axed from Match of the Day for being ’65 and white’Lawrenson regularly appeared on Match of the Day and Football Focus.But he was dropped by the BBC when his last one-year rolling contract came to an end in 2022.Lawrenson, 66, previously claimed that he was dropped for being “65 and a white male”.And lashing out at his exit today, he claimed the BBC has become a “woke” organisation.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLLawrenson feels the corporation loses “integrity day by day”.And he also reckons the BBC is “totally frightened to death”.He told the Ben Heath podcast: “Gone woke, it is top of the woke league.“They are frightened to death, absolutely and totally frightened to death.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS“You have seen the stuff with Gary Lineker and obviously people at the head of the BBC, I think day by day, I think the integrity of the corporation gets chipped off.“It used to be absolutely fantastic but they are woke, plus 100 per cent.”Jermaine Jenas reveals he’s been practicing for Gary Lineker’s MOTD jobIt’s not the first time Lawrenson has hit out at his departure.Speaking to the Sunday Times in 2022, he raged: “The Beeb are probably the worst at giving you bad news.”It was just, ‘We are going on the road next season with Focus. We don’t think it is really something for you.’”I haven’t watched the programme since to see if they have gone on the road.”They forget you are an ex-footballer and could get subbed or dropped or transferred.”Somebody could say to me, ‘I’m sorry, it’s not good news.’”And I would say, ‘OK, just tell me what it is.’READ MORE SUN STORIES”I just wish they had said to me at the start of my contract last year, ‘You’ve had a great run, thanks very much and you are not working next season.’ ”Asked what he thinks the true reason behind the exit is, Lawrenson added: “Well, I’m 65 and a white male, so you know…”Gary Lineker BBC’s suspension explainedThe dramatic details in full:
Gary Lineker was suspended by the BBC last year after an impartiality row.
The Match of the Day host wrote a tweet criticising the government’s asylum policy.
Lineker compared new legislation to 1930s Germany.
It breached BBC guidelines over impartiality and saw him suspended for a week.
Lineker returned to action after colleagues protested over the Beeb’s decision.
Viewers also boycotted Match of the Day when it aired without any host or pundits.
Lineker has been at the helm of the show ever since, with the row quickly dying down. More

MARTIN KEOWN left Gary Lineker and Micah Richards “corpsing” after asking how to pronounce a manager’s name on Match of the Day.Arsenal icon Keown, 57, joined Lineker and Richards in the BBC studio for Saturday’s edition of Match of the Day.Martin Keown had the Match of the Day Studio in stitches with a question he asked Micah RichardsCredit: GettyGary Lineker explained how Keown asking Richards how to say ‘Nuno’ had them ‘corpsing’Credit: BBC However, a funny behind-the-scenes tale was revealed by Lineker and Richards on the Rest is Football podcast.Lineker, 63, explained how Keown had turned to Richards, 35, to check the pronunciation of Nuno Espirito Santo before analysing the 2-2 draw between Nottingham Forest and Wolves.The former Leicester, Tottenham and Barcelona ace said: “I was trying to help Martin Keown because you know what Martin is like. We had a giggle. Martin’s wonderful, I love him to bits. “But he does get a little nervous when it comes to his pronunciation of various names and he does tend to ask you quite a lot of times how you say everybody’s name. Including Nuno.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThis sparked Alan Shearer – who was also appearing with Lineker and Richards on the fan favourite podcast – into laughter.He continued: “Just before his analysis he’s turned to Micah and he went, ‘It’s Nu-no isn’t it, Nu-no?’ And Micah’s gone, ‘Yes course it is’.”And then Micah and myself were corpsing and Martin was doing his analysis over the pictures but Micah and myself could not look at each other because we were both gone.”Nobody would have known at home because we were out of vision but Micah had to look completely the other way.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER”He was looking one way and I had to look completely the other way and funnily enough it was towards the monitor that had The Masters golf on… “But we were both absolutely in hysterics and thankfully it was a long piece of analysis so by the end of it we had managed to get a grip of each other.”Arsenal’s top targets in the summer transfer windowA perplexed Shearer asked: “What else could it f***ing be other than Nu-no?”With Lineker replying through laughter: “That’s exactly the point. I don’t know. Could it have been Nun-o. It was so funny. I was just wondering whether you were going yo come back from it Micah.”Richards added: “Honestly I was gone… There’s obviously various cameras in the studio. “But luckily when we came out it was to a back shot and then a single of Martin. If it had come to a three-shot there I would’ve been in big trouble.”Because if people see me laughing we’d have to address it. It was madness.”Keown will not have been much happier on Sunday after seeing Arsenal lose 2-0 to Aston Villa at home and squander their chance to go back to the top of the Premier League table. More

WAYNE ROONEY was forced to pull out of his Match of the Day debut after picking up a ‘painful back injury on holiday.The Man Utd legend, 38, was set to appear on the iconic BBC show as a pundit on Saturday night.Wayne Rooney had to pull out of an appearance on Match of the Day because of injuryCredit: GettyHowever, he was forced to cancel after the misfortune.He revealed the ailment in an apologetic message on X.Rooney wrote: “Gutted not to be making my debut on the iconic @BBCMOTD show tonight, it’s something I have wanted to do since I was little.”Unfortunately I have sustained a painful back injury during a holiday with my family but I look forward to being part of the team in the near future. Good luck to @GaryLineker and the guys for tonights show and see you soon.”Read more Man Utd newsRegular host Lineker was instead joined by Martin Keown and Micah Richards in the studio.Meanwhile, Rooney has questioned Marcus Rashford’s future at Old Trafford.Rashford, 26, has endured a difficult season with the Red DevilsRooney believes Rashford may need to leave the Red Devils in order to return to his best.Most read in FootballThe ex-United striker told Premier League productions: “He has had a very difficult season. We all know he has got the ability and got all the attributes to be a top world-class player.”That’s the frustrating thing. Last season, he went and scored a lot of goals. But this season, he hasn’t kicked on.Watch Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag storm out of press conference after Bournemouth drawCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”He doesn’t look happy when he is playing.”You wonder, is his best option to move away from the club and have a fresh start? But he is a Manchester lad.”I would love to see him get his career back on track at the club, go on to score goals and try to help the club win trophies. But he certainly has had a difficult season.”However, Rashford currently looks nailed on to stay at Old Trafford after a PSG insider told SunSport that the French club have no interest in luring the England star. More