Tony Cottee has admitted his frustration at being forced out of Sky Sports after 20 years of service.
The former West Ham, Everton and Leicester City striker, 58, is one of many on-screen personalities to have departed Soccer Saturday in recent years. Most notably, Sky axed long-time servants Matt Le Tissier, Phil Thompson and Charlie Nicholas in the summer of 2020.
Cottee survived that initial exodus, but only for a year before he too joined them in heading for the exit door. The shake-up in the studio has certainly proved controversial with viewers, who had grown used to the familiar faces on their screen week-in, week-out.
If anyone was under a different impression, Cottee has made clear it wasn't his decision to leave. He was asked if it was a sad day when he finished a Sky shift for the final time on the Undr The Cosh podcast.
"It was yeah, very sad," he replied. "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."
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While his two decades with the broadcaster came to an acrimonious end, Cottee reflects fondly on them. He continued: "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 like 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."
Cottee was a Soccer Saturday regular, spending two decades with Sky (Sky Sports)Touching on what he misses the most, the seven-time England international explained how working with his fellow ex-pros helped him deal with the absence of being in a dressing room after hanging up his boots in 2001.
He added: "I mentioned that camaraderie. When I used to go into the studio, we were having a laugh and a joke, telling stories, reminiscing and all that. So that’s why I didn’t miss that because I got it through my Sky experiences. It was brilliant."
Cottee remains in regular contact with his former colleagues, some of whom were seen enjoying dinner together back in April with Stelling, who himself departed last year, sharing a snap on social media.
Soccer Saturday, meanwhile, debuted a new studio last season with Simon Thomas taking over in the hot seat. Paul Merson remains a regular fixture, with the likes of Clinton Morrison, Sue Smith, Michael Dawson, Kris Boyd and Tim Sherwood appearing on a regular basis.
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