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    #26
    Popular commentators

    Malcolm Allen is a universally popular Commentator in Wales. The Allen-isms pearls of wisdom, as well as how his Welsh has improved dramatically (must have been to classes to help his vocabulary at some point) make him a really popular figure on the whole.

    I saw him late at night at Tesco, Bangor a few weeks ago and he noticed my Bangor City apparel. He was the one keeping me talking by the end. I'd never met him before that.

    For the record, I never much liked Barry Davies.

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      #27
      Popular commentators

      I'd imagine there would be a lot of obituaries/tributes when Archie MacPherson shuffles off. Don't know about a minute's silence, probably one of those situations when applause would be the better option.

      Personally, I'd mourn the loss of Bob Crampsey more.

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        #28
        Popular commentators

        Macpherson is a rubbish commentator but a surprisingly good writer. I have his books about Scottish football and Jock Stein and they're both very readable.

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          #29
          Popular commentators

          Yeah, he's very poor. Far too critical for my liking. He's very much an 'establishment'/national treasure type, though.

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            #30
            Popular commentators

            I spent quite a long time writing a thing about Thierry Gilardi the other day, explaining how decent he seemed, how he also loved rugby, how he was vice-president of Stade Francais, how the French football and rugby communities each gave what appeared to be heartfelt tributes to him on the national news before the England game, how the news presenter only just made it to the goodnight bit at the end without breaking down because he was with him the morning he died, how they illustrated his commentary alongside memorable sporting moments from the last few years, and how it was all really quite moving... and the board timed me out and I couldn't be arsed to re-type it all.

            However, on the subject of popular commentators, I will say that despite his tendency to become increasingly precious, I always had a lot of time for Barry Davies.

            Mainly this is because I once had to contact him and several other people in the world of TV football. Not only was he one of the few to be decent enough to ring me back, but he also left a message on my home answerphone that began, "Hello, my name is Barry Davies, and...". Not "THIS IS Barry Davies..." It struck me that this said a lot about him as a person. Funnily enough, I never heard a word from Alan Green.

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              #31
              Popular commentators

              I've got admit Barry Davies is one I find it just a bit too hard to dislike. If only for his schoolmasterly tone ('Completely uncalled for...'). My best mate's got a 'best bits of France 98' video in which one crowd shot zooms in on a bootlicious Jamiacan woman shaking her thang in the stands, and giving a broad smile to the camera. Barry's response said it all: 'Oh, I say!'

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                #32
                Originally posted by My Name Is Ian View Post
                Brian Moore died on the day of the Germany vs England match in 2001, and I don't recall there being a minute's silence for him. There may or may not have been one for Kenneth Wolstenholme - I can't remember.



                Obviously we all remember dear Kenneth for those famous words but apart from that his commentary in the few seconds before was somewhat garbled:

                "Any second now it will all be over...30 seconds by our watch and the Germans are going down and they can hardly get up [one German in camera view slips and then quickly gets up again]. It's all over I think...no...and here comes Hurst...he's got [who/what has he got?]...some people are on the pitch...they think it's all over [as you did a few seconds earlier]...it is now...it's four...Charlton [random mention of another England player].

                Yeah, I know...I wouldn't have done any better. But still, interesting to put that famous quote into some kind of context.

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                  #33
                  Originally posted by Guest View Post
                  More of a summariser than commentator but I'd like to think that Stuart Hall's passing would be marked by something suitably over the top.
                  Hmm...

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                    #34
                    Hey Sporting, you're new here, so you might not know the rules; 1) Only Gangster Octopus can dig up the ancient threads, and 2) somebody needs to have died.

                    I had "Interring ... very interring" lined up for Barry Davies. But not yet.

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                      #35
                      In fairness to Ken in '66, the "he's got " probably referred to, I think,Alan Ball who was barrelling up in support, not that he was needed

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                        #36
                        Originally posted by Guest View Post
                        In the unlikely event of Barry Davies having an open casket funeral, mourners could lean in and yell "His face, just look at his face", their voices cracking on the second "his" in respectful imitation of Barry's commentary on Frannie Lee's goal for Derby v Man City (the one that starts "Interesting...interesting...oh, very interesting...".
                        I found this very funny. Unfortunately I have no idea who is responsible for it.

                        We have had a more recent commentator thread. On it I noted that after the grand departure from the BBC, Motson has now tipped up on Talksport and is doing their trails for them. Clearly the BBC pension isn't enough to keep the wolf from the door (it can smell the sheepskin!)

                        Also indicative of the age of this thread. No mention of Savage or Sutton.

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                          #37
                          When I lived in Bilbao I really enjoyed listening to Lluis Izquierdo and a lot of locals liked Michael Robinson (formerly of Brighton amongst others).

                          In France I enjoyed Matt Spiro's enthusiasm for Scottish football.

                          Not football but I also really like David Millar in the cycling as a commentator. Dave Duffield was the maestro though.
                          Last edited by ingoldale; 10-09-2018, 09:16.

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                            #38
                            Originally posted by tee rex View Post
                            Hey Sporting, you're new here, so you might not know the rules; 1) Only Gangster Octopus can dig up the ancient threads, and 2) somebody needs to have died.
                            I give you Richie Benaud, still very much alive when mentioned in this thread back in 2008.

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                              #39
                              I don't claim a monopoly on thread-archeaolgy; anyone can join in, as long as they know how to use a shovel.

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                                #40
                                I think the 70s elevated the commentators because colour TV was new and most weeks the only football on TV was MOTD and (maybe once a fortnight) Sportsnight. Today the commentators are overworked hacks and it doesn't seem to be a job that you can be passionate about anymore. This is even true of cricket in the age of T20 and the glut of ODIs.

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                                  #41
                                  Circa mid-1970s, when I was 9 or 10, I 'got' Motty but struggled with Barry Davies. Brian Moore was too shouty and I preferred BBC for football so only heard Moore on games that were ITV exclusives. How the fuck did Hugh Johns become ITV's senior commentator, even as late as getting the 1978 World Cup final - total shit.

                                  But being 9 or 10 in 1974-76 in the UK meant that everything was filtered through class and region; how you discussed it at school or with cousins and siblings. My uncle watched the 1975 Cup final on ITV - what the fuck was he thinking? Grandad hated 'Abide With Me' despite being a war veteran - "just get on with the fucking game."

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                                    #42
                                    Sporting, the only "rule" on OTF is that every OTF "rule" has been violated on numerous occasions.

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                                      #43
                                      Originally posted by Me Old Flower View Post
                                      Originally posted by Guest
                                      More of a summariser than commentator but I'd like to think that Stuart Hall's passing would be marked by something suitably over the top.
                                      Hmm...
                                      Funny how things turn out, isn't it.

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                                        #44
                                        Over here in Ireland we have George Hamilton for the past 35 years with his lack of knowledge of football tactics or indeed the laws of the game.
                                        Along with his recently departed colleagues,Giles and Dunphy his finest hour was during the 90 world cup and at this stage longevity is mistaken for competence. Though to be honest there's no commentators that I can say "he made that game more enjoyable " even the best are merely tolerable

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                                          #45
                                          Originally posted by elguapo4 View Post
                                          Over here in Ireland we have George Hamilton for the past 35 years with his lack of knowledge of football tactics or indeed the laws of the game.
                                          Along with his recently departed colleagues,Giles and Dunphy his finest hour was during the 90 world cup and at this stage longevity is mistaken for competence. Though to be honest there's no commentators that I can say "he made that game more enjoyable " even the best are merely tolerable
                                          But then you also have, as a co-commentator, Brian Kerr who is knowledgeable and good to listen to.

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                                            #46
                                            I'll always have a soft spot for George Hamilton because of Danger Here, one of the great footballing websites of yore.

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                                              #47
                                              Away from football, George Hook’s popularity as an Irish rugger studio commentator always perplexed me. The Irish John Humphreys, at least his Newstalk show revealed him to be a truly horrible right wing monstrous cunt.

                                              I’m as glad Dunphy has finally gone as the increasingly repetitive late Period Giles. If only Damien fucking duff of the platitudes wasn’t the replacement.

                                              We will never be shot of Hamilton.

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                                                #48
                                                Originally posted by Sporting View Post
                                                Obviously we all remember dear Kenneth for those famous words but apart from that his commentary in the few seconds before was somewhat garbled:

                                                "Any second now it will all be over...30 second
                                                He had been practising this line (as evidenced here - around 45' 50") at least a year before:

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                                                  #49
                                                  This is as good a thread as any… Michael Spicer nails Sam Matterface.

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                                                    #50
                                                    That was painfully accurate. His voice wasn't grating enough though.

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