Football fans accuse Sky Sports of ‘woke nonsense’ after posts referring to team with a sent-off player as ’10-player’ instead of ’10-man’

Football fans have accused Sky Sports of ‘woke nonsense’ after the broadcaster used the term ’10-player’ instead of ’10-man’ in a social media post.

Fans were quick to comment on a post following Burnley’s match against Blackburn Rovers on the weekend.

Blackburn earned a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor in the East Lancashire derby, despite having Makhtar Gueye sent off for two bookable offences in the second half.

Sky Sports shared a clip at full-time on social media, with the broadcaster writing ’10-player Blackburn Rovers continue their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 Championship season and share the derby spoils’.

The post attracted criticism from some fans, who questioned the use of ’10-player’ rather than ’10-man’.

Sky Sports shared a social media post at full-time referring to ’10-player’ Blackburn Rovers

One fan wrote: ‘There’s no way they’re using 10 player rather than 10 men now? Utter woke nonsense, it’s men playing football?’ 

‘You mean 10 man. It was a men’s match. So the correct footballing terminology is 10 man Blackburn,’ another fan wrote.

’10 man. Corrected it for you,’ added a third.

A fourth went further by stating ‘This is why we are failing as a society. Allowing someone to change a harmless term such as 10 men.

‘Happening all over the business world with people changing things that don’t need changing instead of focusing on things that do.’

The use of ’10-player’, which has regularly been used in the women’s game, marked a subtle change from the broadcaster.

Sky Sports as recently as May used the term ’10-man’ when describing a Liverpool goal against Wolves at the end of last season.

Some fans highlighted the use of player of the match, rather than man of the match as other examples alleged ‘woke nonsense’.

Some football fans responded to the post by accusing the broadcaster of ‘woke nonsense’

Others, however, questioned the outrage over the Sky Sports post, with one writing ‘Don’t think it’s that deep mate’.

Earlier this year, BBC cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew expressed frustration at the introduction of gender neutral terminology into his sport.

This included the use of ‘batter’ rather than batsman.

‘I hate “batter”, I always call a woman batsman a ‘batter’,’ Agnew said. ‘But why can’t a man playing a man’s game be a “batsman”?’

‘I just think it’s sad, inclusivity’s great, but come on.’

Agnew also expressed frustration regarding the Ashes which England and Australia have contested on the men’s side since 1882.

Sky Sports had used ’10-man’ in a post about Liverpool taking the lead against Wolves in May

The biennial Test series between the teams was termed ‘the Ashes’ after a mock newspaper obituary of the England team, after Australia won on English soil for the first time.

A Women’s Ashes has been contested since 1998.

‘That doesn’t mean to say that the Ashes has to be the “men’s Ashes”,’ Agnew said.

“People will call me an old fart, I suppose, it’s an event. It happened.

‘It’s not the “Men’s Battle of Hastings”, is it?’