To just go back to my previous post, and to be fair to Sky, I forget they split with Glenn McCrory long before his recent legal case. But the fact Carragher pretty much got off spitting at a child because he is a bigger 'name' than other pundits will never sit well with me.
As you say Lambourn's departure should have been acknowledged/his contribution recognised. Don't get me wrong, he did make the odd mistake, as would anyone in that role, but his voice carried authority and was perfectly suited to the role. I might have to find that AI JAG account on Twitter, always used to enjoy listening to JAG reading out the results after being at a game. But I still wish Sky would swallow their pride and ask Lambourn back.
Not a fan of Thomas but as you say no-one else could be Jeff, although I always like Jules on midweek soccer specials. Funny, the days of the panel including the likes of Mullery, McLintock, Best and Marsh feel as though they were 40 years ago. I was too young to remember any of them playing but never had an issue with that when watching.
I think for me what stands out is that my (sadly now late) wife, who had little interest in football, knew who Jeff Stelling was, she'd ask what they were all laughing about, would sometimes laugh with them and she liked listening to Lambourn pronounce these Scottish clubs and places she'd never heard of, whereas I can't imagine her doing that with the current personnel.
