'I'm back, Merse is back... but not everyone is back!': Jeff Stelling pokes fun at new-look Soccer Saturday line-up in first show back since Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier were sacked by Sky
Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling chose to avoid repeating his heartbreak at losing the majority of his former panel by making a light-hearted joke in the first show of the season.
Sky Sports last month caused controversy after sacking long-serving regulars Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson in a bid to revamp the weekend programme.
The major shake-up of their punditry team for the coming season will initially see regular host Stelling joined by the likes of Paul Merson, Sue Smith, Clinton Morrison, Alan McInally and Glen Johnson.
Jeff Stelling made a light-hearted joke about absentees in the first Soccer Saturday this season
Matt Le Tissier was last month axed from his role on Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday show
Phil Thompson and Charlie Nicholas also got the chop from the programme
Jeff Stelling (front left) with (back L-R) Charlie Nicolas, Phil Thompson, Matt Le Tissier, Paul Merson and Tony Cottee (front-right)
But as revealed by Sportsmail earlier this month, Sky Sports will use the early weeks of the new season - starting from Saturday - as auditions for potential replacement pundits for the sacked trio before deciding on a regular panel.
However, in the first programme of the season, Stelling could only muster a joke to refer to the events of the last few weeks, opening the show by saying: 'The football league is back, Soccer Saturday is back, I'm back, Merse is back, but not everyone is back... the crowds are not back.'
Stelling has been joined on Saturday by former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood as a guest along with Merson, while Tony Pulis joined Glen Johnson and Clinton Morrison in 'The Circle', while Sue Smith was also part of the first programme of the new season.
But Stelling avoided going into too much detail about the events of the last few weeks
Stelling was joined by Paul Merson who is the only regular to have survived the cull
Glen Johnson will form part of a new-look show following the shock summer shake-up
Former England footballer Sue Smith was on Soccer Saturday for the first show this season
Stelling will also be joined by some other guest stars along with Sherwood over the course of the season, including Wycombe striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, Robbie Fowler and Joleon Lescott.
The regular presenter however was left devastated by the sackings of his close friends Le Tissier, Nicholas and Thompson, and had even considered leaving the show himself as a result, as exclusively revealed by Sportsmail.
Stelling's contract is understood to contain a lengthy notice period so he may start the season presenting the show unless he reaches an agreement with Sky Sports.
The outspoken Tim Sherwood also joined the popular weekend show panel on Saturday
Charismatic Wycombe Wanderers star Adebayo Akinfenwa is also set to come on as a guest
But he was left stunned when told of Sky's decision to axe the his 'best mates', a decision which came out of the blue as they all had one year left on their contracts.
Le Tissier, Thompson and Nicholas were the second regular punditry team with whom Stelling had worked after the original line-up of George Best, Rodney Marsh and Clive Allen was dismantled by Sky.
Merson is the sole survivor and has been retained by Sky to work on Soccer Saturday, but his long-term position is unclear.
The long-serving Chris Kamara may also be deployed in the studio rather than at matches.
But even the normally cheery figure of Kamara could not hide the 'gutting' feeling he felt after hearing the news of the Soccer Saturday sackings in an exclusive Sportsmail interview.
Stelling admitted he nearly walked away from the show after his 'best mates' were sacked
Stelling contract is understood to contain a lengthy notice period so he may start the season
Merson has been retained by Sky but his long-term future on the programme is unclear
The long-serving Chris Kamara may also be deployed in the studio rather than at matches
Sky Sports' decision caused further uproar after it led to a torrent of vile comments on social media after pundit and former Arsenal women's star Alex Scott was earmarked as a successor.
New Sportsmail columnist Micah Richards also revealed that he found himself being blamed for the trio's removal even when he was not going to appear on the show.
The broadcaster has confirmed that while Scott will also not be joining the programme, ex-Doncaster Belles star Smith is in their line-up, joining female presenters such as Bianca Westwood.
And in a recent interview, Stelling admitted it will be difficult for women to appear on the show due to the sickening abuse they receive.
When Stelling was asked by the Guardian whether women would struggle on the show he said: 'Oh God, yes. The response on social media is horrendous. Whether it be Sue Smith or Alex Scott the criticism is horrendous and totally unjustified.
Former Arsenal and England player Alex Scott has received abuse as a pundit on television
'When we had Soccer Specials, some of the women who'd come in had been very reluctant.
'They knew what the response would be, regardless of how good they were. There's this blinkered idea – 'It's a woman, what can she know about football?'
'Twenty years ago I was also sceptical. But my view has changed and obviously we've had very good reporters like Michelle Owen, Bianca Westwood and Jacqui Oatley. They're really experienced.'
Sky however are conscious of the need for greater diversity in what has often been an all-white, middle-aged line-up.