Weymouth sack commentator for on-air board tirade

Weymouth FC have sacked one of their club broadcasters

Non-league club Weymouth have sacked their commentator after he criticised senior members of the club during a live broadcast of a match.

The Terras said Ben Ashelford had been removed from his position and would no longer be involved in any official club activities.

In an audio recording of the FA Trophy defeat by Wimborne Town, posted online by a supporter, Ashelford calls out current and previous members of the Weymouth board for leaving a game early before extending an invitation to them to debate with him on a podcast.

Speaking on Radio Terras, which is owned by the club, Ashelford also vented his frustrations at Weymouth's downward spiral over the past few years.

"You can't hide from it, none of you," he said. "It's your fault.

"I'm deadly serious too, any member current or recently past from the board of directors I'd invite you on to a podcast.

"At least the fan representative on the board to my right is still here and watching the game, where is everybody else?

"I extend that challenge to any of the board members. I'll set it up, take the financial hit and I'll tell you the truth, but I suspect there is not a set of nuts between you."

Weymouth, who are managed by former Leicester City and Portsmouth striker Steve Claridge, were relegated from the National League in 2022.

Following three campaigns in National League South, last season they dropped into the seventh-tier Southern League Premier Division South.

"Ben's commentary allowed his passion to carry him a little further than would normally be expected from a commentator at a football match," said Terras chairman Ralph Ricardo in a statement.

"Football is, of course, a passionate sport - one that inspires both personal and professional opinions in all of us. However, within the context of official matchday commentary for the club, those boundaries were crossed.

"Ben is someone who holds himself and others to high standards, and when he reflected on the situation, he recognised that he had let himself and the club down.

"After discussions with other directors, it was mutually agreed that his position as commentator had become untenable, and the outcome was therefore inevitable."

Since the statement was released, Ashelford acknowledged that he made an error.

"I would like to publicly stress that I was mistaken when I thought I saw two people leaving the ground early," he posted on X.

"This mistake led me to starting a rant and releasing my own frustration of the running of the club over the past few years.

"I accept that I made a mistake and I accept I was wrong, I also accept that a rant of this kind of criticism has no place at all coming from the club's official media station."