Jeff Stelling hangs up his microphone this weekend, in what looks to be the end of an era on multiple fronts for TV viewers.
Not only is Ryan Tubridy saying goodbye to the Late Late Show, but across the water, one of key figures of Sky Sports' football output will be leaving for good.
Stelling has been hosting Soccer Saturday since 1998, and in that time, his enthusiastic broadcasting style has won him a place in the heart of millions of football fans.
The Hartlepool United fan will bow out after a Soccer Special covering the final day of the Premier League on Sunday, and it will be weird to check in on the scores next season and not see his face looking back at us.
On that note, this seems like the perfect opportunity to reflect back on some of the moments Stelling provided us with over the years.
In no particular order, here are Jeff Stelling's best bits.
The rollercoaster of Jeff Stelling being a Hartlepool United fan
Despite being in a job in which impartiality is paramount, Stelling has never made any secret about where his club loyalties lie.
Hartlepool-born, Jeff has been a fan of his hometown club all his life, and as they have gone up and down through the leagues, his emotions have never been far from the surface.
"Let's be professional about this" 😆
Jeff Stelling is Hartlepool's biggest fan 😂 pic.twitter.com/87QPfAydu6— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 18, 2023
Middlesbrough rant
When Middlesbrough was voted in a poll as the worst place to live in England, Stelling was fierce in his defence of the town that's just 15 miles down the road from Hartlepool.
Rhyming off some of Boro's most famous people and landmarks, Jeff had the Soccer Saturday pundits in stitches as he made clear he was having no slander against the place that brought us Brian Clough and James Arthur.
Calling out VAR
Video Assistant Refereeing remains in its infancy in terms of Premier League football, but Jeff has long been a critic of the technology.
He has called to scrap it on a few occasions, most notably with this epic rant from a few years ago.
Eating disorders
A more serious Jeff Stelling moment came as recently as last week, when the presenter took it upon himself to raise awareness about eating disorders.
He mentioned that the illness was being swept under the carpet, while highlighting the #DumpTheScales campaign which has gathered traction in recent times.
Jeff Stelling with a powerful message during Mental Health Awareness month ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ZVVBJ5Ord1
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) May 20, 2023
"I don't know Jeff..."
For arguably Stelling's most memorable moment, he was merely the conductor, as friend and colleague Chris Kamara sealed his place in the affection of millions with an infamous piece of absent-mindedness.
You've all seen it hundreds of times, but for old time's sake, here it is again...
Specsavers
The rapport that Jeff has built with the Soccer Saturday pundits has been one of the cornerstones of his popularity.
Always able to make them laugh, he is never shy about gently ribbing them either, even at the risk of a sharp comeback.
On this occasion with Charlie Nicholas though, the response was far from quick-witted, as the Scot struggled to hit back at Jeff over a jibe about his eyesight.
"Maybe you should go also then, Jeff."
Jeff Stelling corrected by Kammy
The tables were turned on this occasion, when Kammy was on hand to correct Jeff for referring to West Ham's ground as Upton Park, when they had recently moved to the London Stadium.
"The low point of my career", Stelling called it, as Merson, Thompson et al sniggered at a rare lapse of judgment.
Donning a pink wig for a good cause
Having made fun of then-Nottingham Forest forward Lyle Taylor for having pink hair, Jeff later learned that the player had done so for several seasons in October, in order to raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer.
The host then went on to apologise on air, while donning a pink wig, something which helped to increase Taylor's cause further.
Jeff Stelling stays true to his word that he'd wear a pink wig if Lyle Taylor scored 😂 pic.twitter.com/tlDsiAdIch
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 24, 2020
A good sport, as always. He will be missed.
