BBC forced to remove Wayne Rooney tweet after Gary Lineker tells them to ‘delete this’

The BBC deleted within seconds

Rooney was dismissed by the Championship club on Tuesday after winning only two of his 15 games in charge, with the 3-0 defeat to Leeds United on New Years' Day proving to be the final result of his tenure.

An official club statement from the Blues said that "results have not met the expectations that were made clear at the outset" and that a change in manager was in the "best interests" for the club.

Shortly after Birmingham confirmed his departure, the BBC posted a tweet of Rooney looking like a member of the Peaky Blinders - the popular BBC show set in Birmingham.

They captioned it saying: "By order of the Peaky Blinders... Wayne Rooney has been sacked by Birmingham City."

By order of the Peaky Blinders, Wayne Rooney has been sacked by Birmingham city ❌️ pic.twitter.com/8t3PF6bxvB

— FUTURI$TIC $OUNDS🎵 (@futuresoundsss) January 2, 2024

Many were left confused and Lineker wasn't impressed and asked the account to "delete this".

Moments later, the post - and Lineker's tweet - were removed.

Following his sacking, Rooney released a statement in which he confirmed he planned to take some time away from football.

He said: “I would like to thank Tom Wagner, Tom Brady and Garry Cook for the opportunity to manage Birmingham City FC and the support they all gave me during my short period with the club.

“Football is a results business – and I recognise they have not been at the level I wanted them to be. However, time is the most precious commodity a manager requires and I do not believe 13 weeks was sufficient to oversee the changes that were needed.

“Personally, it will take me some time to get over this setback. I have been involved in professional football, as either a player or manager, since I was 16. Now, I plan to take some time with my family as I prepare for the next opportunity in my journey as a manager.

“Finally, I wish Birmingham City FC and its owners my best wishes in the pursuit of their ambitions.”

Related links:

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• BBC should part ways with ‘insolent’ Gary Lineker, says former director of TV
• Gary Lineker ‘accidentally leaks’ who will take over as Match of the Day presenter