Jeff Stelling says women will struggle to appear on his Soccer Saturday show

Football Saturday host Jeff Stelling has admitted it will be difficult for women to appear on the show due to the sickening abuse they receive.

Sky Sports fired regulars Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson last month and has a new, revamped line-up.

Regular host Stelling is still joined by Paul Merson and Chris Kamara, as well as new additions from Sue Smith, Clinton Morrison, Alan McInally and Glen Johnson.

Adebayo Akinfenwa, Tim Sherwood, Robbie Fowler and Joleon Lescott will also be part of the show this season.

Bianca Westwood has been a commentator on the show for years and will remain, while former Arsenal and England player Alex Scott will not be on this season’s show.

When Stelling was asked by the Guardian whether women would wrestle on the show, he said, ‘Oh God, yeah. The reactions on social media have been terrible. Whether it is Sue Smith or Alex Scott, the criticism is horrible and totally unjustified.

‘When we had Soccer Specials, some women were very reluctant.

They knew what the response would be, no matter how good they were. There is a blinkered idea: “It’s a woman, what can she know about football?”

Twenty years ago I was also skeptical. But my opinion has changed and we’ve clearly had some really good reporters like Michelle Owen, Bianca Westwood and Jacqui Oatley. They are truly experienced. ‘

Stelling was also asked if he was considering resigning after his ‘best friends’ were fired.

That would be fair. Yes of course. Whether I really want to start over is another question, ‘said Stelling.

“We did it with the first team we had – Bestie [George Best], Marshy [Rodney Marsh], Frank [McLintock] and Clive [Allen] and then we built another team [with his three sacked friends and Paul Merson]. I’m 65. I’ve had a fantastic run. ‘

The presenter was stunned to learn of Sky’s decision to assist the football Saturday veterans, which came out of the blue as all three had another year on their contracts.

Stelling’s contract is deemed to include a long notice so that he may start the season presenting the show unless he reaches an agreement with Sky Sports.

Roaming reporter Chris Kamara also opened up about the recast. “I’m clearly gutted, absolutely gutted,” he said of the decision to fire the trio. ‘And I know they are,’ Kamara, 62, told me Sportsmail. ‘We were such a good team and it all went well.

‘Decisions have been made, we have nothing to say about them. Whoever made them did it and the guys accept it.

‘I can honestly say they are the best guys you could ever want to meet. They are top notch and it has been a great time to work with them for the past 15 years. ‘

Former Arsenal man Merson also reportedly considered quitting football on Saturday after his friends were fired.

Merson is the last man left of the four regular experts on Sky Sports results.

As reported by The times, former Arsenal and Aston Villa star Merson considered leaving the program after discovering the news.

There was another notable departure from Sky when Scott Minto, the former Chelsea and West Ham defender who covered the EFL, Spanish football and the Carabao Cup, was fired in the same week after 13 years with the broadcaster.