Gray and Keys Bite the Dust

Messrs Gray and Keys

One hundred years ago, Emmeline Pankhurst was causing quite a stir. The movement she founded, the Women’s Social and Political Union, were in the throws of an arson campaign to vent their fury at the political system which deprived them of a vote. Fast forward a century, and it seems like Sian Massey has unwittingly opened up the discussion of sexism in society. 

Sky Sports sacking of Andy Gray , and the subsequent  resignation of his partner in crime Richard Keys, is on the face of it, a clear stance that that they will not tolerate such old fashioned views. What is curious are the circumstances surrounding the release of further clips. The initial clip, where Gray and Keys are claiming that Massey’s lack of male genitals would hinder her ability to call an offside decision (Raul Meireles can thank her that is not the case), and the mockery of Karen Brady, was apparently released to the press by an insider.  Cynics may point to Andy Grays court case, where his is suing News of the World for alleged phone tapping, may have had an influence, as BSkyB own shares in that particular rag. Others may argue that Gray is so arrogant, that a disgruntled colleague saw his chance. The press were then fed a clip of him, off air, making a suggestive comment to the oil painting that is Charlotte Jackson. Remarkably, she did not see the funny side in tucking Andy's "mic" in. 

Gray has been a love/hate figure since he turned the Sky Sports studio into a NASA control station. His bland comments, and constant berating of match officials has been grating for a long time. In his defence, he has been slating officials for quite a while. Interestingly, Graham Poll and a number of other referees were only too happy to see Andy's plight, and made public their feelings. For a man with five children from four different women, it seems off the field, Gray has a lot of time for women, possibly too much. 

Richard Keys' demise has been also been spectacular and even more public. Whatever of Gray’s self-importance, "Hairy Hands" Keys takes the biscuit. "If he were chocolate he would eat himself" an inside source may have said. A short man, with an average knowledge of the game, a love of mind-numbing questions (one wonders how Souness would compare him to Bill O'Herlihy), paid a million and a half a year, maybe it’s easy to see why. The release of his off air comments about Jamie "lunchbox" Redknapps ex-girlfriend were aggressive to say the least. "Smashing it" is a rather violent way of describing the act of making love. One conjures up an image of taking a sledge hammer to a women’s nether regions, than anything sexual. His radio interview was professional suicide, apologising, though he "couldn't see" what all the frenzy was about, and he felt there were "dark forces at work". Even the apologies were hollow. His resignation was inevitable.

One can feel an element of sympathy for the way in which they were disgraced. Off air comments, are in theory, just that. While it seems an old fashioned view, supporters will argue that it was just "lads banter". However, this wasn't Grays first brush with controversy, and Sky’s quick response seems like they were only too happy to dispense with his services, similar to Rodney Marsh’s dismissal from the broadcaster after offensive comments on the tsunami, though that was on-air. Keys' reputation was battered, but his poor radio showing and over the top comments on Redknapps ex (his sister defended him by saying he has a "sister and female friends, so he has no problem with women") sealed his fate. 

Now if they could just get rid of Lineker, Hansen and Lawrenson on BBC, it would be even more progress!