Soccer Saturday was once a staple of many football fans’ weekend before significant changes were made to its punditry team. The Sky Sports show delivered countless memorable moments at its peak.
The regular quartet of Phil Thompson, Matt Le Tissier and Arsenal legends Charlie Nicholas and Paul Merson offered irresistible entertainment with their analysis, humorous quips and occasional blunders on live TV.
With the legendary host Jeff Stelling included, Soccer Saturday was the envy of other sports programmes due to the unique rapport between its pundits. Meanwhile, the reporters would break in with goal updates from across the UK.
However, the programme today is vastly different from a decade ago after Sky Sports instigated a series of big shake-ups including letting go long-standing pundits, with the most ruthless cull occurring prior to the 2020/21 season.
Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier
Thompson was the first of the Soccer Saturday icons to be informed he was being released in August 2020, followed closely by Nicholas and Le Tissier. Sky’s head of football arranged a meeting with the Liverpool legend, then 66, where he told Thompson that the broadcaster was moving in a new direction.
Thompson opened up to the Daily Mail about his departure from Sky, saying: “It became a way of life, so taking that away… I miss it. We were a band of brothers.”
Arsenal legend Nicholas had a similar meeting scheduled an hour after Thompson’s, with the same outcome while Le Tissier faced the same fate. Sky’s official explanation for the decision was: “We are changing some parts of our football coverage. Matt, Charlie and Phil have done a great job for us over the years, and they will leave us with our sincere thanks and very best wishes.”
(Image: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Thompson, being the oldest of the three, felt that the others should have stayed on, adding: “It was three parts of a midfield. The others could have continued.”
Sky’s decision, made at the height of the pandemic, could have been financially driven and a response to calls for more diversity in its programming. According to long-time colleague Stelling, Le Tissier was “hit the hardest” due to his relatively younger age. Merson remains on the show.
Meanwhile, BBC pundit Ian Wright responded to the backlash on social media by saying: “Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas, Phil Thompson, they’ve had an unbelievable run, it’s been a great show. This happens to everyone in the industry. This is Sky’s decision to evolve the show.”
Tony Cottee
The former West Ham, Everton, and Leicester star left Soccer Saturday at the end of the 2020/21 season, a year after some of his colleagues were let go. Despite being a staple during the programme’s heyday, Sky Sports decided to part ways with him as they sought a fresh approach.
Reflecting on his departure on the Under the Cosh podcast, Cottee said: “I had 20 great years there and I look back and I don’t like the way it ended. It was their choice more than my choice. I wanted to carry on being part of the show, obviously Soccer Saturday.
“But I also look back and think I had 20 wonderful years. Some of the characters – Jeff Stelling’s an amazing presenter. Then you think of the Kammy’s (Chris Kamara) and the McInally’s (Alan McInally) and then the lads who were on the panel. Merse, Le Tiss, Charlie, Thommo. Just wonderful characters.”
(Image: Sky Sports)
Rodney Marsh
Rodney Marsh, known for his candid punditry in Soccer Saturday’s early days, became a fan favourite with his forthright analysis. The Manchester City legend even once shaved his head after incorrectly predicting Bradford City’s fate in a relegation battle.
However, Marsh’s tenure on the show ended abruptly when he made an inappropriate joke concerning the tragic Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Despite issuing an apology, he was dismissed from the show.
Following his Sky Sports career, Marsh took part in ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here’ in 2007 and has appeared on various other programmes. Now 79, Marsh continues to share his football insights on Sirius XM.
(Image: Sky)
Bianca Westwood
Bianca Westwood has been among the latest to part ways with Sky Sports. After a tenure spanning over two decades, Westwood was released in August 2023, marking the end of an era for the broadcaster, who was the first female reporter on Soccer Saturday.
The departure of such seasoned sports journalists as Dickie Davis, Guy Havord, Greg Whelan, Lynsey Hooper and Jaydee Dyer, alongside Westwood, was part of a sweeping reorganisation at Sky, reportedly triggered by budgetary constraints.
(Image: Bianca Westwood/Youtube)
Transitioning to her new home at talkSPORT, Westwood took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt goodbye to her former platform. She said: “A bit like when I did my first match report, I didn’t want to make a fuss but I’ve had SO many messages and questions about where I’ll be today I thought I might as well let you know.
“I haven’t quite made enough money to retire unfortunately, but I am retiring from Sky Sports and Soccer Saturday. It’s been a phenomenal 22 and a half years and I’ve been a small part of building the channel into the giant of broadcasting it is today. What a ride!
“Being the first female match reporter on Soccer Saturday is something I’m immensely proud of and that can never be taken away from me. I’ve covered hundreds and hundreds of games, I’ve interviewed hundreds of players and managers.”
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
