Legendary BBC football commentator John Motson dies at 77

Thursday, February 23, 2023 6:23 pm

BBC football commentator, John Motson

By Nehru Odeh

Legendary BBC football commentator, John Motson, who became the voice of football, has died, aged 77.

According to the Independent, Motson worked on the BBC’s flagship Match of the Day programme for more than 50 years and covered more than 2,000 televised games, including 29 FA Cup finals and 10 World Cups.

‘Motty’, as he was affectionately known, shot to limelight with the way he handled the match in which non-league Hereford’s famously slayed giant Newcastle United in 1972.

That match took top billing on Match of the Day, and his words became an essential accompaniment to footage of Ronnie Radford’s famous long-range goal.

Motson, born in Salford, Lancashire, joined the BBC in 1968 as a sports presenter on Radio 2 after stints as a newspaper reporter in Barnet and at the Sheffield Morning Telegraph.

His career, which spanned more than 50 years, also took in two Olympic Games and Wimbledon’s memorable 1988 FA Cup final triumph against Liverpool at Wembley as the Crazy Gang beat the Culture Club.

Motson was awarded the OBE in 2001 for services to broadcasting. He hung up his microphone for the BBC at the end of the 2017-18 Premier League season.