Legendary commentator John Motson passes away

Legendary commentator John Motson sadly passed away today aged 77 after 50 years working in football on radio and television.

Motson commentated on over 2,000 games, including 29 FA Cup finals, ten World Cups and ten European Championships.

He earned a reputation for wearing a sheepskin coat, which he made his trademark.

Motson is survived by his wife Anne, who he married in 1977. They have a son called Bruce, who they had in 1986.

The Salford-born son of a methodist preacher started his career at the Barnet Press and Sheffield Morning Telegraph.

Motson then joined BBC Radio Sheffield. He later took a full-time job with the BBC as a sports presenter on Radio 2 in 1968.

Motson joined the BBC’s Match of the Day content in 1971. He became a regular commentator during the 1971/72 season, with his first game a draw between Liverpool and Chelsea.

His iconic commentary on Ronnie Radford’s goal as Hereford United produced an incredible FA Cup upset against Newcastle United in a third-round replay made him famous. He soon became the voice of every major final on the BBC.

He received an OBE in 2001 for his services to broadcasting. The commentary maestro hung up his microphone at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.

People affectionately called him ‘Motty’, and he received honours at the British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) in 2018 for his outstanding contribution to sports broadcasting.

“John Motson was the voice of a footballing generation – steering us through the twists and turns of FA Cup runs, the highs and lows of World Cups, and, of course, Saturday nights on Match of the Day,” said BBC director-general Tim Davie.

“Like all the greats behind the mic, John had the right words, at the right time, for all the big moments.”