John Motson and Sheffield United

[1973Blade]

A legendary commentator who will be missed on Match Of The Day. The two most famous quotes about the Blades on tv came from him:
'A quality goal from a quality player' after Tony Currie's classic goal against West Ham, and
'This man's left foot is magic' after Glyn Hodges had chipped the ball over Schmeichel to give us the lead against Manchester United.
Enjoy your well earned retirement Motty!

 

[loyalblade95]

The end of an era I was hoping he'd stay until after the world cup but it wasn't to be

 

[LoughboroBlade]

A legendary commentator who will be missed on Match Of The Day. The two most famous quotes about the Blades on tv came from him:
'A quality goal from a quality player' after Tony Currie's classic goal against West Ham, and
'This man's left foot is magic' after Glyn Hodges had chipped the ball over Schmeichel to give us the lead against Manchester United.
Enjoy your well earned retirement Motty!

Those are ok, but hardly compare to the greatness that was him referring to Big Jostein as “Flo” one half and “Floo” in the other in the rather disappointing sequel to our FA Cup ties with Manchester United.

 

[1973Blade]

Those are ok, but hardly compare to the greatness that was him referring to Big Jostein as “Flo” one half and “Floo” in the other in the rather disappointing sequel to our FA Cup ties with Manchester United.

He must have been told at half time the correct way to pronounce it!

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

His first journalism job was with the Sheffield Telegraph reporting local football.

 

[Houso]

Is he still telling the story about the sausages?

 

[More Bladier than thou]

What a legend, he is the Murray Walker of football. Hope he gets a long retirement.

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

He always been kind to us, most recently he recorded that video message for Tony Curries birthday, which was a nice touch.

Some people just can't be replaced, John Motson is one of them. I wish him all the best.

 

[Bayingblade]

Am I the only one who thinks he became a sycophantic bore with a permanent drool wherever the Premier League (especially the big boys) were concerned. And as for his England commentaries, his tongue was so far up Trevor Brookings arse that he could probably taste what Brooking ate for lunch! I don't think I'll miss him at all.

Barry Davis and Brian Moore were streets ahead IMHO.

Oh, and Keith Macklin of course

 

[Davalon]

Also remember him on Football Focus I think it was, saying Woodward was possibly the best player never to get an England cap.

 

[INTAKE BLADE]

I like John motson,but he comes out with some words that I presume some people reach out for the dictionary to solve em

When I’ve heard Paul Walker on the championship commentating he comes across as very good imo. A bit of pashun to his commentary.

 

[Harry's Game]

Am I the only one who thinks he became a sycophantic bore with a permanent drool wherever the Premier League (especially the big boys) were concerned. And as for his England commentaries, his tongue was so far up Trevor Brookings arse that he could probably taste what Brooking ate for lunch! I don't think I'll miss him at all.

Barry Davis and Brian Moore were streets ahead IMHO.

Oh, and Keith Macklin of course

Brian Moore was the best commentator up to about 1986 but went on too long. His eye sight was clearly going in the last ten years of his career and got about as many players wrong as right by the end.

Barry Davies was great on MOTD highlights but struggled on live games when he had to fill, he kept quoting Shakespeare and Chaucer as if to try and prove he was the “thinking mans” commentator.

Motty and Moore were as close as football got to a “Voice” but never quite reached the heights.

Allis was the voice of Golf, Benaud the voice of cricket , Maskell the voice of tennis. Football didn’t have one voice in my life time.

 

[wizadry]

GLTTL, there’s some utter wank commentators out there at the moment that make Motty sound almost godlike.

 

[Roygbiv]

This is my favourite piece of commentry ever. Byron Butler

 

[Ancient blade]

My son lives near a good friend of John Motson and last Christmas he presented me with a copy of Motty's autobiography. On the title page

Motty had written, " Let's hope the Blades stay on the win path and reach the promised land of the Premiership".

(Of course, at that time we were riding high in the Championship.)

 

[Jon Bon II]

Am I the only one who thinks he became a sycophantic bore

Yes.

With regard to Brian Moore, he was a decent commentator but everything was ‘beautiful’ with him. A beautiful pass, a beautiful header and, of course, a beautiful goal.

My favourite was always Hugh Johns. Brutally straightforward and to the point. None of this foppish beauty with him. It was just “Gary Birtles, Nottingham Forest, 1-0!”

 

[Geordie Blade]

'This man's left foot is magic' after Glyn Hodges had chipped the ball over Schmeichel to give us the lead against Manchester United.

In the same game there was "Oh! He went past Ince as though he wasn't there!", which was another comment on Hodges (I think).

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Yes.

With regard to Brian Moore, he was a decent commentator but everything was ‘beautiful’ with him. A beautiful pass, a beautiful header and, of course, a beautiful goal.

My favourite was always Hugh Johns. Brutally straightforward and to the point. None of this foppish beauty with him. It was just “Gary Birtles, Nottingham Forest, 1-0!”

Similarly there was a guy, Archie McPherson, think he did commentary on Eurogoals, or transworld sport.

But he was completely oblivious of what was happening in the game and just chirped up whenever there was a goal.

Even if it was a 30 year thunderbolt, he would always say something like 'and, there's a goal'....in the most monotone voice possible. Zero enthusiasm but I found him entertaining.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

I was always a bit of a fan of David Coleman. Notable verbal cock-ups, but that simple one-nil when a goal was scored with no flourish, just state the score. He was a victim of his own versatility, doing many different sports and of course QOS.

 

[Hillsboro Blade]

A tedious, irrelevant fact and stat fucking twat. He should have been put out to pasture years ago. Used to have his love affair with Liverpool and then moved on to Man United. If you were listening to him on the radio you wouldn’t know he was commentating on a match with him giving his facts and stats which sound like one of the questions on 3-2-1. Summed him up on the FA Cup Final one year “The referee needs eyes in his head to see what’s happening, but it’s handy for him because he also works as an optician”. John Motson OBE (Old Bell End).

 

[The Crab]

He always been kind to us, most recently he recorded that video message for Tony Curries birthday, which was a nice touch.

Some people just can't be replaced, John Motson is one of them. I wish him all the best.

Just one of those voices you grow up with isn't it? Motty, Murray Walker,Brian Moore, Barry Davies. Nobody really coming through that can match those.

 

[ShefRedandWhite]

Just one of those voices you grow up with isn't it? Motty, Murray Walker,Brian Moore, Barry Davies. Nobody really coming through that can match those.

Johnny Buchan for us locals?

 

[I should coco]

If you were listening to him on the radio you wouldn’t know he was commentating on a match with him giving his facts and stats which sound like one of the questions on 3-2-1

Couldn't agree more. You had no idea where the ball was although his stupidly excited tones did suggest it was sometimes near one goal or other.

Second only to "It's all about me; Alan Green'' in the shite radio commentator stakes.

 

[super_pig]

What a legend, he is the Murray Walker of football. Hope he gets a long retirement.

sounded like it too recently. 'and it's .. oh. and then.. oh.. he could have errr. oh'

 

[super_pig]

Am I the only one who thinks he became a sycophantic bore with a permanent drool wherever the Premier League (especially the big boys) were concerned. And as for his England commentaries, his tongue was so far up Trevor Brookings arse that he could probably taste what Brooking ate for lunch! I don't think I'll miss him at all.

Barry Davis and Brian Moore were streets ahead IMHO.

Oh, and Keith Macklin of course

'where were the Germans!?. frankly who cares?' .. Barry Davis

 

[bornablade]

It was a deserved presentation of a BAFTA to Motty last night.

Congratulations to Sean Bean for his BAFTA. In his acceptance speech he made reference to his mate 'Gary Armstrong'. Anyone know if there was a Blades link in that?

Back to Motty (I think it was him) in probably the 1977 FA Cup final. Martin Buchan the Man. Utd. captain goes up to collect the cup......

'And Buchan climbs the 39 steps'.

 

[pommpey]

Excellent commentator. Definitely 'the voice of football'.

MotD in the 70s used to be Davies on the major came and Motty with the minor. Davies was a bit too impassioned for me. Especially with the likes of Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal. Motty just gave a matter of fact account. Liked Coleman as well.

Best of the modern ear is Tyler, although he's seventy-fucking-two now! I remember him when he first started.

Elihid Barbour though. Yes please.

pommpey

 

[Geordie Blade]

Best of the modern era is Tyler, although he's seventy-fucking-two now!

Same age as Motson.

 

[bornablade]

The best commentator was Brian Moore on LWT (London Weekend Television).

 

[Aganarama]

Brian Moore, Pat Bonner and Euro ‘88... ;-)
Unfortunately the the clip is no longer available on the internet. (It was part of the Ray Houghton ‘Phoenix from the flames’ which has been removed.)