Gary Lineker praised for his cutting response to anti-refugee tweet

'Gary Lineker should just stick to football.'

That seems to be the stock response to any public utterance from the ex-England captain which doesn't directly refer to kicking a leather ball of air about. That and of course 'Shat on [subject of tweet]'. It is as if a large section of his millions of followers simply cannot comprehend that a 55-year-old man who has travelled and lived around the world could possibly have interests and concerns outside of sport. Of course if Lineker dares to state anything remotely touching upon social issues or geo-political politics, he is crucified for daring to have an opinion - particularly by those with an opposing view. Little did the MOTD presenter realise that when he signed his first professional contract with Leicester City in the late seventies, he effectively signed away his right to free expression. Lineker has been very vocal about the prevailing attitudes towards Syrian refugees of late. His strong view is that the narrative has turned extremely dark and worryingly xenophobic in recent months. https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/788692459727556609 On Wednesday, a follower of EDL co-founder Tommy Robinson responded to one of Lineker's tweets that urged for a modicum of compassion for refugees, with the following angry reply: 'fucking we have to live amongst them not you Gary...have them down your turning and in your mansion' Lineker was having none of the individual's clear contempt for those fleeing war and tyranny in their own land, and responded with an emphatic tweet of his own: ''Them'? I'd sooner live amongst them than you.' There was a virtual punch of the air for many who shared Lineker's sentiments upon reading the retort, and he was praised for his determined and heartfelt stance on the subject. It turns out that many do appreciate such a high-profile national figure sticking his head above the parapet and speaking out on something he believes in. https://twitter.com/amylawrence71/status/788695321408860160 https://twitter.com/omo154/status/788695500857933824 https://twitter.com/Tammchugh1/status/788695028780630016 https://twitter.com/JohnDMC17/status/788695049253027840 https://twitter.com/mochoudhury/status/788695949824651264 https://twitter.com/ArthurdeMontfo1/status/788694886480502784 https://twitter.com/OssettObserver/status/788695341268860928 https://twitter.com/On_the_Rug/status/788695019611906048 https://twitter.com/Irisheyes2111/status/788695126147235840 https://twitter.com/AlanLewis05/status/788696548842541056 Catch up with the latest episode of Football Friday Live