10 Dec 2025 13:38:48
Watching the game last night with a couple of mates and Just moving away from the monotony of the Slott in, Slott out or Mo stays or goes for a bit I mentioned how drab the modern day match comms are these days - not just football but the comms on most sports I like .
So for a bit of fun I put down my 3 favourite match comms and moments that I’ve witnessed heard or watched - and yes I’m showing my
age!
1 - Coleman and Banks save against Pele in Mexico 70
2 - Cliff Morgan - Gareth Edwards try for the Ba Bas v the all blacks
3 - Harry Carpentrer - the rumble in the jungle when Ali knocks out Foremsm.
10 Dec 2025 14:10:42
I watched the Gareth Edwards try only the other day. You've come up with 3 classics there, Bristol. "They think it's all over" Kenneth Wilstenholme, has to get a mention, also. Not a massive rugby fan, but Jonny Wilkinson's drop goal, Ian Robertson commentary. I'll come back with a 3rd.
10 Dec 2025 14:36:54
Wolstenholme nearly got in for me Rome with the comms on Brazil’s 4th goal in 70 -Carlos Alberto.
10 Dec 2025 14:43:45
"Mellor, lovely cushioned header, for GERRARD! "
"OHHHH YA BEAUTY! "
"WHAT A HIT SON! "
"WHAT. A. HIT. ".
10 Dec 2025 14:44:05
As I’m Irish, I have to put this one in.
George Hamilton commentary for Dave O’Learys penalty in Italia 90 for RTE.
As O’Leary was about to strike the ball ( a winning penalty would send Ireland to the Quarter-Finals at our very first World Cup finals appearance) George uttered the immortal line ;
“O’Leary vs Timofte…. A nation holds its breath…”.
10 Dec 2025 15:04:43
Little Archie Gemmill waltzing through the Holland defence.
10 Dec 2025 15:05:00
MK -, that was going through my mind as well mate
Colemans comms were iconic though. He was on the Mik for a few of our great games -73 UEFA cup final and the 74 cup final!
“Goals pay the rent and Keegan pays his share”!
10 Dec 2025 17:04:15
“And that’s why he’s the greatest player in the world! ” Maradona 86 vs. England.
10 Dec 2025 15:37:50
The great Peter O’Sullevan calling home the even greater Red Rum at Aintree in 1977.
10 Dec 2025 15:48:48
No particular moments but commentators Alan Green, Mike Ingham, Peter Jones, Barry Davies ("that's nice, that's McDermott and that's a goal! ") . Ok, one moment.
Murray Walker has to get a mention as does the ever smooth Peter Alliss.
Mike Costello another whilst Reg Gutteridge and Jim Watt made a fine double act.
Modern day commentators are soulless. A recent montage of clips an 5 Live ahead of the recent Chelsea Barcelona game were all Alan Green and all infused with a ferocity and passion of delivery that is sorely lacking today.
10 Dec 2025 16:19:15
George Hamilton, RTE "The Spanish manager is pulling his captain off! ".
{Ed025's Note - i remember one of the commentators saying at the boat race in 1977 "now here is the chairmans wife going to kiss the cox of the winning side".. :)
10 Dec 2025 17:29:40
Can’t remember who the athlete was and I think it was Coleman who uttered the immortal line just before he crossed the winning line.
“He opened up his legs and showed his class”.
10 Dec 2025 18:20:54
Gaga3, it was attributed to Coleman but was in fact Ron Pickering. It was about Juanterana, the Cuban athlete.
10 Dec 2025 19:15:33
Ally McCoist on Konate a couple of years ago ‘whoever plays right back for Liverpool must feel good with the big man inside them’.
10 Dec 2025 19:55:19
Has to be Barry Davies, on BBC1, during the whole of the 1977 European Cup Final but especially his iconic words, following Phil Neal's penalty, to make it 3-1, "With such simplicity, the European Cup surely is won". Still, for me, the greatest night in Liverpool's fine history.
10 Dec 2025 20:27:41
The batsman's Holding the bowlers Willey.
Infamous cricket commentary from West indies Micharl Holding v England's Peter Willey. followed by minutes of commentators hysterics.
10 Dec 2025 21:43:57
Continuing the cricket theme with another Johnners quote:
"He couldn't quite get his leg over" - referring to Ian Botham swivelling to try to hit a ball, stumbling over the wickets and just catching a bail with his thigh.
Let to 3 minutes of just hilarious laughter - including "oh Aggers" - as Johnners and Aggers both peeing themselves with laughter!
I was privileged to hear it live on TMS as I was heading somewhere with my parents in the car.
Some other notable Johnners quotes:
"The bowlers Holding the batsmans Willey" - apparently he didn't actually say it, his son said (when writing his biography) that it was too good a pun to pass over!
"There's Neil Harvey standing at leg slip with his legs wide apart, waiting for a tickle"
Said about Peter Pollock from SA who had broken his ankle "He’s obviously in great pain. It’s especially bad luck as he is here on his honeymoon with his pretty young wife. Still, he’ll probably be all right tomorrow if he sticks it up tonight. "
Would've loved to have met the bloke, and amazing that his proteges - Aggers and Blowers - have had such long careers, with Aggers still going strong!
10 Dec 2025 22:11:10
I seem to remember John Motson during a Euro 96 game saying something like "Here come the German's" followed by the player on the ball surname which just happened to be Kuntz. Bad timing at its best.
10 Dec 2025 22:17:51
RTE legendary football commentator Jimmy MaGee. WC finals 1986. Argentina v England. Maradonna. Second goal as he dances and scores "Different Class ". "DIFFERENT CLASS! ".
11 Dec 2025 07:52:03
Ted Lowe describing Fred Davis’s snooker shot …. “He’s too old to get his leg over these days so he’s using his left hand”.
Murray Walker …” You can cut the air with a cricket stump”
On a serious note, Wolstenholme’s “They think it’s all over …. it is now”. Magnificent timing.
I assume most people, certainly of a certain age, will know about Colemanballs’. If not, google it and see what you get. From a time when sport was a bit more fun.