Gray & Keys In Sexist Row

[Gaz]

@bglendenning: If Keys doesn't stop digging soon he'll be able to front Sky's coverage of the fifth ODI between England and Australia

[Neil Young]

I know, it was more a response to its just a bit of banter that i have heard on the tv and seen one or two posts on here saying.

Sure, I understood that.

like a new born calf oh dear

that struck me as partridge esque ish too

Does it seem that way to you because it's a middle aged man saying it in completely the 'wrong' environment (i.e. at work)?

I only ask because to me that sort of thing always sounds out of place. It's a genuine question and I'm not trying to catch anybody out, to be more "right on" than the next man, er, I mean, person.

Oh Neil. It was a joke. Certainly not serious.

Sure you are.


OK, I really am sure you are but I hear that sort of thing so often in the context of discrimination against women that it tends to raise my hackles. Obviously there is some discrimination against men and it is worth talking about but it always seems we have to discuss that rather than the original subject.

Anyway, you weren't being serious so I'd have been better stopping about a paragraph ago.

[spud_gun]

Wouldn't surprise me if Keys agent pulls this interview.

This is career suicide.

[Arn]

I don't understand this strange defence some people have been taking over this, when did "just banter" become a let off for outrageous and uneducated behaviour.

Is there a magic cut off point between "banter" and Racist/Sexist/Homophobic/Vile abuse?

As I said, she should have sued them. It's not only Sky that have a big problem with this. It will only get better when it hit the guilty ones in the pocket.

It's totally unacceptable to make comments like this in a public position. She will now have to live with this her whole career as an assistant referee and probably after it.

It's much more than just banter, much more than that.

[Shaggy]

Wouldn't surprise me if Keys agent pulls this interview.

This is career suicide.

He said at the top of the interview that he doesn't have an agent.

[captainfog]

I tried to listen online but their website is as **** as their radio station and the online player didn't work.

[Shaggy]

I tried to listen online but their website is as **** as their radio station and the online player didn't work.

Get it on the telly, channel 0108

[Skrtelmania]

Can't believe I'm missing this, presumably they'll be a transcript shortly.

Keep the updates coming sounds like a classic, cheers.

[dom9]

Sure, I understood that.


Does it seem that way to you because it's a middle aged man saying it in completely the 'wrong' environment (i.e. at work)?

I only ask because to me that sort of thing always sounds out of place. It's a genuine question and I'm not trying to catch anybody out, to be more "right on" than the next man, er, I mean, person.


Sure you are.


OK, I really am sure you are but I hear that sort of thing so often in the context of discrimination against women that it tends to raise my hackles. Obviously there is some discrimination against men and it is worth talking about but it always seems we have to discuss that rather than the original subject.

Anyway, you weren't being serious so I'd have been better stopping about a paragraph ago.

Honestly, I definitely wasn't being serious, and I certainly didn't want to start a debate about it.

I'll try and be more funny next time.

[spud_gun]

He said at the top of the interview that he doesn't have an agent.

Doh! Never heard the start of the interview.

I guess not having an agent is the reason he's on talkSPORT at the moment digging a deeper and deeper hole for himself.

[Shaggy]

Can't believe they haven't mentioned the "did you smash it" clip.

[spud_gun]

500 messages of Keys phone. Perhaps one's from Brady?

[spud_gun]

Excellent. Everyone's just jealous of his success

[Shaggy]

Andy Gray has spoken about his devastation at being sacked by Sky Sports and has confirmed he is taking legal action.

In a statement released to the Mirror, Gray said: "I am very sorry that certain comments made by me have caused offence. Such comments were made off air to work colleagues, and were of course never intended to be broadcast.

"I was very upset when the comments were brought to my attention, and it was my intention to apologise on Monday night when I was back on air for the Bolton v Chelsea game.

"Sadly I was unable to do so as I was suspended from the show by Sky Sports and have now been sacked. Football is my life and I am devastated by losing the job that I love.


"I am equally upset that third parties have been dragged into this issue.

"I ask that the media respect their privacy so that they can continue in their roles.

"I have worked for Sky Sports loyally for over 20 years and I do not wish to comment further at this time."

[Neil Young]

They've also made it very difficult for Sian Massey to carry on her career. She is going to (excuse the pun) have to have massive balls from now on, especially as a Lino dealing with all the neanderthals behind her and the media spotlight highlighting every mistake she makes.

I don't know about that.

I'm heartened by how much support she's had. Of course it helped she got a crucial decision right on Saturday but it's clear that many people feel Gray and Key's attitudes are so outdated that I think the media will have to be very careful with how much prominence they give her and her inevitable mistakes.

(In fact, I seem to recall her making a mistake later on in the first half with a marginal offside call against us but that seems to have been ignored by the media, so maybe self-censorship has already started. Or maybe I'm remembering wrong because I'm biased to LFC.)

And, just because of the scale of their coverage, officials' performances are focussed on most by Sky and they're likely to be extra careful about it.

Also I think the FA will probably be a bit slower in pushing her into more live games for a while (although they're bound to give her a game or two soon, just to make it look like they're not holding her back), until the fuss has died down.