Jeff Stelling has called out Sky Sports for their coverage of the Reading fan protest that saw their League One match suspended on Saturday. Stelling, a Hartlepool United fan, left the broadcasting giant at the end of last season following a 25-year stint.
Formerly the face of Soccer Saturday, Stelling was bid an emotional farewell last year when he handed the reins over to Simon Thomas. But he wasn’t overly pleased with Sky Sports’ coverage – or lack thereof – concerning Reading supporters’ act of desperation over the weekend.
Fans streamed onto the pitch during their League One meeting with Port Vale to protest against the club’s owners, who have overseen a series of crippling points deductions.
Reading pleaded with fans via social media to make their way back to the stands so that the match could continue, but it was ultimately abandoned after 16 minutes when the 1,000 or so individuals refused to stop the protest.
During Soccer Saturday, Sky Sports reported on the protest as “lots of tennis balls being thrown onto the pitch”, with Reading fans desperate for coverage that would draw support towards their campaign against the club’s current owners.
Stelling wasn’t best pleased, either, writing on X: “When a club which was in [Premier League] not long ago is in the position they are in, this [is] the biggest story of the day [in my opinion]. Why [is there] no reporter there? Everyone knew there was going to be a protest!”
Reading were in the Premier League as recently as 2013. A steady decline unfolded across 10 seasons in the Championship, and having been forced to strip their playing squad down to the barebones since going down to the third tier, they are now facing relegation to League Two.
A number of penalties for financial mismanagement have seen Reading docked a total of 16 points since Yongge arrived at the club. The Royals are currently 21st in the table and three points from safety.
