Stelling did initially joke that he had modified his thoughts once more, referring again to a yr in the past when he carried out a U-turn on deciding to depart. He additionally detailed various individuals who had reached out to him over cellphone this week, together with pop celebrity Elton John.

He stated: “Somebody asked me the other day if I have ever been starstruck and yeah, I was starstruck when Elton John rang me at home to say ‘Thank you very much for all you have done. Every week I watch the show and every week you tell me Watford are losing and every week you tell me Hartlepool are losing, so I feel like we’re kindred spirits’."

He added: "It’s been absolutely wonderful in that respect, it’s been the best job that anybody could have possibly wished for. My wife Lizzie takes great pleasure in saying ‘You’re the luckiest man ever to take a breath’, I don’t tell her this often but she’s right.

"But look, the principal success of Soccer Saturday is you lot at home who have given us unswirling support both for the programme and for me personally so that’s it, Soccer Saturday will be back next season - I’ll be watching when Hartlepool are not playing. But from me, goodbye.”