Lineker Sees Red Over Cambridge Exam System

Gary Lineker has gone on the offensive against a new Cambridge A-level after his son failed to score the grades he needed.

a-levels football gary lineker grades pre-u a-level results UCAS

Gary Lineker has gone on the offensive against a new Cambridge A-level after his son failed to score the grades he needed.

The Match of the Day presenter has fired a volley of abuse at Surrey public school Charterhouse, where George Lineker has just finished.

George failed to net the hat-trick of B’s he needed to secure his shot at Manchester University, and Lineker senior reckons he has paid the penalty for the school’s decision to switch to the new Cambridge Pre-U system.

The former-England striker blasted: “We don’t know what’s going on with George at the moment. He did the Pre-U and they seem to have been marked much harder than the A-Level papers.”

George Lineker with former Big Brother contestant Sophie Reade

Having attended the prestigious £25,000 a year Charterhouse, known for its high churn-out of ‘A’ grades, Gary is livid  that his boy has not followed its tradition of returning top marks, and thinks the school’s decision has rebounded on his prospects.

“It’s all a bit frustrating, as it is the first year the Pre-U exams have been used, so George has been used as a guinea pig.”

The Cambridge Pre-U exams have been substituted for the conventional system in a handful of top private schools, including Dulwich, Winchester and Eton. It is considered to be a more difficult alternative, with the top mark being worth 5 UCAS points more than the new ‘A*’ in the conventional A-level system.

There have been suggestions that George Lineker’s ‘celeb lifestyle’ took his eye off the ball at school. On top of dating ex-Big Brother contestant Sophie Reade earlier in the year, he also took a week-long holiday to Tenerife just weeks before his exams as well as visiting his dad during the World Cup.

A source told The Mirror: “George got caught up in the celeb scene this year and it’s really affected his results.”

After scoring his academic own-goal, George ranted on Facebook: “didn’t get into a uni… cheers school u massive k**bers!”

A fleet-footed friend replied: “Just cos ya father is a celeb doesnt mean u go there automatically.”

Another photo of Sophie Reade in case you missed the first one.

Understadably the school have gone on the defensive. Headmaster the Rev John Witheridge said he was “delighted with our pupils’ excellent results this year.”

With less than a month to go until most freshers weeks kick off, it remains to be seen whether George will get another chance to go to university or whether his mis-firing revision has left him permanently on the sidelines.