Transfer deadline day felt different this year.
It wasn’t just because of the 5pm deadline or the fact that the Premier League’s bigger clubs failed to get any huge deals done in the dying hours.
Several viewers of Sky Sports News felt that the coverage of deadline day felt different because it was the first since Natalie Sawyer parted ways with the broadcaster in March.
Sky Sports failed to agree terms with Sawyer five months ago, with reports claiming that the presenter wanted to pursue opportunities away from the news desk.
Sawyer’s departure after 18 years with the company was strange insofar as there was no on-air mention of it during her final shift. She simply disappeared from the airwaves with no official explanation for the split.
The 38-year-old has since landed a new role on radio station talkSPORT, where she will share presenting duties on the Kick Off show with Danny Kelly from Tuesdays to Thursdays from 7pm.
On Thursday, the main Sky Sports News shift in the build-up to the deadline saw Jim White, Hayley McQueen and Pete Graves sat at the desk as the final deals got over the line.
But Sawyer’s absence was a conspicuous one and viewers have been in touch with her to let her know how much she was missed and class act that she is, she encouraged everyone to keep watching because her former colleagues deserved it.
Bless you. That’s very kind of you to say. Still watch SSN for all the drama tho!
— Natalie Sawyer (@nataliesawyer) August 9, 2018
Let's face it, #DeadlineDay isn't the same without @nataliesawyer💛
— KA The Gentleman Thief (@ThePointGetter) August 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/Martin_J_Dudley/status/1027562930521473025
https://twitter.com/john_4509/status/1027586662690447360
Where the fuck is @nataliesawyer
— ABoD (@billyboyscott) August 9, 2018
Deadline day looks so poor without @nataliesawyer Sorry, @SkySportsNews you messed it right up. I mean, come on, what’s with the Moan Utd wally’s on the sofa ??
— Crozzy (@Crozzy1971) August 9, 2018
I don’t care what you say, #TransferDeadLineDay isn’t #TransferDeadLineDay without @nataliesawyer #fact
— David Just David 🌈 (@Mr_S_David) August 9, 2018
Transfer Deadline Day without @nataliesawyer just isn't right
— mike healing (@mike_healing) August 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/GaryBri29919563/status/1027572840114126849
