- Blackburn held Burnley to a draw despite Makhtar Gueye being sent off
- Some fans have expressed outrage at a post referencing a ’10-man Blackburn’
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Football fans have accused Sky Sports of “conscious nonsense” after the broadcaster used the term “10 players” instead of “10 men” in a social media post.
Fans were quick to comment on a post after Burnley’s game against Blackburn Rovers at the weekend.
Blackburn drew 1-1 at Turf Moor in the East Lancashire derby despite Makhtar Gueye being sent off for two bookable offences in the second half.
Sky Sports shared a clip on social media after the end of the match, with the broadcaster writing: “10-man Blackburn Rovers continue their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 Championship season and share the derby spoils.”
The post drew criticism from some fans, who questioned the use of “10 players” instead of “10 men.”
Blackburn picked up a point against Burnley on Saturday despite Makhtar Gueye being sent off
Sky Sports shared a post on social media after the end of the match in which reference was made to Blackburn Rovers’ “10-man squad”
One fan wrote: “Is it impossible that they use 10 players instead of 10 men now? Nonsense! Are men playing football?”
“You mean 10 men. It was a men’s game. Therefore the correct football terminology is 10 Blackburn men,” wrote another fan.
“10, man. I corrected you,” added a third.
A fourth went further, saying: “This is why we are failing as a society. Allowing someone to change a harmless term like 10 men.
‘It’s happening all over the business world with people changing things that don’t need to change instead of focusing on the things that do need to change.’
The use of the “10-man” system, which has been regularly employed in women’s football, marked a subtle shift on the part of the announcer.
As recently as May, Sky Sports used the term “10-man” to describe a Liverpool goal against Wolves at the end of last season.
Some fans highlighted the use of man of the match, rather than man of the match, as other examples were supposedly “conscious nonsense”.
Some football fans responded to the post by accusing the broadcaster of “careless nonsense”
Others, however, questioned the outrage over Sky Sports’ post, with one writing: “I don’t think it’s that deep mate.”
Earlier this year, BBC cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew expressed his frustration at the introduction of gender-neutral terminology into his sport.
This included the use of ‘batter’ instead of ‘hitter’.
“I hate the word ‘batter,’ I always call a female batter a ‘batter,'” Agnew said. “But why can’t a man who plays a man’s game be a ‘batter’?”
“I think it’s sad, inclusion is great, but come on.”
Agnew also expressed his frustration regarding the Ashes, which England and Australia have contested on the men’s side since 1882.
Sky Sports had used the term “10 men” in a report about Liverpool’s lead against Wolves in May.
The biennial Test series between the teams was dubbed ‘the Ashes’ after a mock newspaper obituary of the England team, after Australia won on English soil for the first time.
An edition of the Women’s Ashes has been held since 1998.
“That’s not to say the Ashes have to be ‘the Ashes of men,'” Agnew said.
“People will call me an old fart, I guess, it’s an event. It happened.
“It’s not the ‘Male Battle of Hastings’, is it?”
