Gary Lineker invited to Welsh football match following ‘unfortunate’ comments

Football pundit Gary Lineker has been invited to attend a Welsh football match after making “unfortunate” comments about the country’s top football league.

On Sunday (28 January), Welsh side Newport County took on Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round, with United beating the home side 4-2.

Scoring in the 47th minute, Will Evans, a former dairy farmer and Newport’s striker took the game to 2-2, leaving the tie in the balance.

After the game in the post-match analysis, Lineker jokingly called Welsh football's top tier the “farmers’ league”.

He said: “[Evans] was working on a farm 18 months ago and played for Bala Town. He's gone from farmers’ league to the big time in the FA Cup.”

But, his comments appear to have riled some Welsh fans and led to an invitation for the former footballer to come and watch a match for himself.

On X/Twitter, one disgruntled person wrote: “Also a big f**k you to @GaryLineker for calling the @CymruLeagues a farmers league. Have a bit of respect.”

Lineker responded, “It was a reference to being a farmer”.

Bala Town FC secretary, Ruth Crump, said Lineker’s comments were “unfortunate”, but gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Crump continued: “I don't think that's what he meant, I believe he was trying to say that he was a farmer and played in the Welsh league and that it had come out wrong.

“Our league is one of high quality and deserves better, it should receive more attention.”

Welsh side Bala Town FC took to X/Twitter to invite Lineker to a match.

They wrote: “Happy to have @GaryLineker pop down to Maes Tegid one day to experience our ‘farmers league’.”

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