I have Liverpool leanings but I'd always listen to the 3pm kick-off on Five Live regardless of the match, even if Liverpool is on talkSPORT or before that Sports Extra, because I want to keep up to date with everything, not just one match, and also because I really like John Murray doing this.
If you want to keep up with "everything", then why on earth would you listen to Five Live on a Saturday afternoon?
I support a lower league club and I just couldn't imagine ever listening to Five Live Sport out of choice between 3-5pm on a Saturday afternoon.
The reason for this is simple - I find it practically impossible to be able to follow my team via that platform.
Unless my team are featured in one of Five Live's featured games from the lower divisions (very unlikely as they are mid-table and unfashionable), the only time you'd hear their scoreline - as well as that of many other non-featured games from Leagues One and Two - is during the half and full time scores, and if you are listening intently, when scores are quickly read out during the commentary. And there are rarely further details other than brief scoreflashes.
To this end, talkSPORT will always be a much better listen in my view.
I grew to love the station's excellent Saturday afternoon around the grounds service, Football First - when I was living outside of the Midlands in the days before Freeview became as standard, it was an absolute godsend and the only service I had available to me at the time to properly follow my team on a Saturday. This show alone was one of the biggest reasons as to why I've become such a regular listener to the station in general.
But even since they began providing 3pm Premier League commentaries in 2007 - the Saturday service has still, to a lesser degree, remained true to it's around the grounds roots.
Although he now has to contend with a live commentary, Adrian Durham is still studio-based with all the scores at his fingertips, and he is crossed to on a regular basis to round up all the games with goals, often paying reference to scorers, missed penalties, sendings off etc. They'll go around the other featured grounds and pop back to the studio in 5 to 10 minute intervals, and when I've listened, they have even missed goals in their live games to do this.
I don't know how much of Matchday Live you've heard, but to say they only concentrate on one match is a total fallacy.
Contrast how Matchday Live is presented to that of Five Live. Since 2007, a big bugbear for me is that Mark Pougatch usually tends to be based at a ground (almost always the ground playing host to the talkSPORT commentary game :rolleyes:) rather than at Television Centre with his eyes across the scores coming in as he used to be.
On the few occasions I've listened, for me this has greatly detracted from what he's supposed to be doing - as when they cross to Pougatch, he's instead telling us about what's going on in front of him rather than keeping us up to date with other scores. This now seems to be John Murray's job, an extra burden while he too is covering a commentary game.
Having Pougatch at a game has always appeared to me to be something of a cheap spoiling tactic aimed at talkSPORT, but it only really succeeds at making it even more difficult to keep track of other scores on their station, particularly as when I've listened Five Live have tended to stick more closely to their 3pm game than talkSPORT do.
I hope that makes sense, and it doesn't look like I'm disagreeing with you for the sake of it or knocking Five Live for what they do (their Saturday service seems to be aimed at Premier League fans and will never be for me), but I just cannot understand why someone would listen to Five Live on a Saturday afternoon if they wanted to keep across everything going on in the Football League.
Aston Villa v West Ham Simon Mann and Efan Ekoku (commentary) Bolton v Arsenal Dave Farrar and Nigel Winterburn (commentary)
Listening to talkSPORT yesterday, and Graham Beecroft who was at Bolton-Arsenal for them mentioned that he'd been at Everton-Manchester City on Saturday night.
Seeing as Simon Humphreys was at that game for talkSPORT, would Beeky have been commentating on that game for Premier League Radio?
I think he has done games for them in the recent past, and if he was working at Goodison Park then it would have been either for them, Today FM, RTE Radio 1 or local radio in the North-West.
Listening to talkSPORT yesterday, and Graham Beecroft who was at Bolton-Arsenal for them mentioned that he'd been at Everton-Manchester City on Saturday night.
Seeing as Simon Humphreys was at that game for talkSPORT, would Beeky have been commentating on that game for Premier League Radio?
I think he has done games for them in the recent past, and if he was working at Goodison Park then it would have been either for them, Today FM, RTE Radio 1 or local radio in the North-West.
Listening to talkSPORT yesterday, and Graham Beecroft who was at Bolton-Arsenal for them mentioned that he'd been at Everton-Manchester City on Saturday night.
Seeing as Simon Humphreys was at that game for talkSPORT, would Beeky have been commentating on that game for Premier League Radio?
I think he has done games for them in the recent past, and if he was working at Goodison Park then it would have been either for them, Today FM, RTE Radio 1 or local radio in the North-West.
Thanks George - I had failed to consider that he might be working for some kind of TV.
Doing a quick Google search for "Graham Beecroft Everton TV" brought this up - LINK - so evidently this wasn't a one-off for Beeky. Do you know if he is a regular commentator/contributor on Everton TV?
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but it would appear that Everton TV is a web-based channel similar to the World/Player service available on Football League club websites, rather than an actual TV channel like MUTV, Chelsea TV etc.
Scottish Cup Sportsound presented by Kenny McIntyre
Ayr Utd v Brechin City - Allan Preston Edinburgh City v Montrose - Brian McLaughlin Forfar v St Johnstone - Scott Davie (by phone) Inverness CT v Motherwell - John Robertson Kilmarnock v Falkirk - Charlie Mann and Billy Dodds Ross County v Inverurie Locos - Brian Irvine
Poor show that they've sent a reporter to every game except Albion Rovers v Stirling Albion.
I didn't listen but apparently Robbie Savage got smacked flush in the face, drawing blood, during the commentary from a Stiliyan Petrov clearance. Created "much amusement" in the commentary area.
At half time on Five Live, they also played the moment Mark Clemmit's Chair broke whilst doing a report from Morecambe a few years ago, with listeners invited to vote for their favourite.
At half time on Five Live, they also played the moment Mark Clemmit's Chair broke whilst doing a report from Morecambe a few years ago, with listeners invited to vote for their favourite.
Reminds me of one of Radio Lancs presenter Gary Hicksons "on air disasters" ironically also involving Morecambe......
"The famous coffee-cup incident at an Accrington v Morecambe game. I tried to catch the ball for the lads as it came off the field of play...however, I thought the steward in front of me was going to do it and so left it. At the last minute the steward side-stepped the ball and the rest is history. One sports editor covered in three cups of lukewarm coffee, glasses askew with BBC Radio Lancashire's Richard Connelly gasping for air as he tried to keep in the laughter live on air. A quality moment!"
Thanks George - I had failed to consider that he might be working for some kind of TV.
Doing a quick Google search for "Graham Beecroft Everton TV" brought this up - LINK - so evidently this wasn't a one-off for Beeky. Do you know if he is a regular commentator/contributor on Everton TV?
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but it would appear that Everton TV is a web-based channel similar to the World/Player service available on Football League club websites, rather than an actual TV channel like MUTV, Chelsea TV etc.
Don't know for definite but I strongly suspect you are correct.
BBC Manchester - Host: Ian Cheeseman
Man City v Man Utd (League Cup SF 1st Leg): Ian Cheeseman (1-22), Steve Wyeth (23-45), Nigel Gleghorn & Arthur Albiston (Commentary)
Stockport v Swindon: Brian Clark (Updates)
Aldershot v Rochdale: Drew Savage (Updates)
Bury v Bradford: Jack Dearden (Updates)
Key 103 (FM Only)
Man City v Man Utd (League Cup SF 1st Leg): Hugh Ferris, Andy Hinchcliffe & Mickey Thomas
BBC Lancashire - Host: Gary Hickson from Bloomfield Road
Blackpool v Sheffield Wednesday: Ian Chisnall & Steve Canavan (Commentary)
Accrington v Gillingham (FA Cup Round 3): Scott Reid (Updates)
Scottish Cup Sportsound, presented by Richard Gordon.
Morton v Celtic - David Begg and Jim Duffy (810MW commentary), with Kenny McIntyre pitchside Rangers v Hamilton Accies - John Barnes and Craig Paterson (online commentary)
Man City v Man Utd Alan Green, Mike Ingham and Chis Waddle (commentary) Cardiff v Bristol City Alistair Bruce-Ball Accrington v Gillingham Juliette Ferrington Brentford v Doncaster David Oates Notts County v Forest Green Jacqui Oatley Blackpool v Sheff Wed Peter Slater Morton v Celtic Ian Turner Rangers v Hamilton Alison Walker
BBC London 94.9
Brentford v Doncaster Billy Reeves Charlton v Hartlepool Nick Godwin and Bradley Allen (commentary) with Jamie Hill Leyton Orient v Yeovil Dave Victor Studio Lisa O'Sullivan
BBC Radio Leeds studio: Nick Hatton
Huddersfield Town verses Bristol Rovers (92.4, 95.3 and 102.7 FM) commentator: Paul Ogdon summariser: Kieran O'Regan
Leeds United verses Carlisle United (103.9 FM coverage: Adam Pope and Andy Ritchie
Bury verses Bradford City (AM and DAB) commentator: Gareth Jones summariser: Terry Dolan
The Pulse
Huddersfield Town verses Bristol Rovers commentator: Tim Thornton summariser: Rob Edwards
Bury verses Bradford City commentator: Jason Thornton
Pulse 2
Bury verses Bradford City commentator: Jason Thornton
Huddersfield Town verses Bristol Rovers reporter: Tim Thornton
Notes
Pulse Sport and Pulse 2 Sport were separate programmes, but both featured some of the same interviews. I don't think Pulse 2 had a summariser.
I'm glad the Pulse and Pulse 2 provided commentary on both matches. I'm surprised Bradford's match wasn't on FM as Huddersfield Town fans could have heard their match on FM, and Bradford were away.
Steve James hosting with a brief 'Football Hour' with Christian Roberts
Cardiff City V Bristol City (FA Cup 3rd round replay) - Rob Phillips and Nathan Blake (AM / FM / Digital / Online)
BBC Radio Cymru
Cardiff City V Bristol City (FA Cup 3rd round replay) - Ian Gwyn Hughes (updates)
BBC Bristol / Somerset
Geoff Twentymann hosting
Cardiff City V Bristol City (FA Cup 3rd round replay) - Pete Simson and Adam Baker (94.9FM / 104.6FM / Online)
During the first half, a gust of wind took all of Pete's pre-prepared notes away, and also moaned about how Cold it was. No idea if he got them back though
Hudersfield Town V Bristol Rovers - Ed Hadwin and Keith Brookman (1548MW)
Leyton Orient V Yeovil Town - Chris Spittles and Dave Linney (95.5FM)
Real Radio South Wales
Cardif City V Bristol City (FA Cup 3rd round replay) - Mark Poyser
With CC being on BBC 1 I feel it would be better to concentrate on the PL especially as both games have influence on the top, bottom and middle of the league.
Their main commentary is the CC semi-final 2nd leg
Just to add - there is one thing I just cannot agree with, or even relate to, in your post.
If you want to keep up with "everything", then why on earth would you listen to Five Live on a Saturday afternoon?
I support a lower league club and I just couldn't imagine ever listening to Five Live Sport out of choice between 3-5pm on a Saturday afternoon.
The reason for this is simple - I find it practically impossible to be able to follow my team via that platform.
Unless my team are featured in one of Five Live's featured games from the lower divisions (very unlikely as they are mid-table and unfashionable), the only time you'd hear their scoreline - as well as that of many other non-featured games from Leagues One and Two - is during the half and full time scores, and if you are listening intently, when scores are quickly read out during the commentary. And there are rarely further details other than brief scoreflashes.
To this end, talkSPORT will always be a much better listen in my view.
I grew to love the station's excellent Saturday afternoon around the grounds service, Football First - when I was living outside of the Midlands in the days before Freeview became as standard, it was an absolute godsend and the only service I had available to me at the time to properly follow my team on a Saturday. This show alone was one of the biggest reasons as to why I've become such a regular listener to the station in general.
But even since they began providing 3pm Premier League commentaries in 2007 - the Saturday service has still, to a lesser degree, remained true to it's around the grounds roots.
Although he now has to contend with a live commentary, Adrian Durham is still studio-based with all the scores at his fingertips, and he is crossed to on a regular basis to round up all the games with goals, often paying reference to scorers, missed penalties, sendings off etc. They'll go around the other featured grounds and pop back to the studio in 5 to 10 minute intervals, and when I've listened, they have even missed goals in their live games to do this.
I don't know how much of Matchday Live you've heard, but to say they only concentrate on one match is a total fallacy.
Contrast how Matchday Live is presented to that of Five Live. Since 2007, a big bugbear for me is that Mark Pougatch usually tends to be based at a ground (almost always the ground playing host to the talkSPORT commentary game :rolleyes:) rather than at Television Centre with his eyes across the scores coming in as he used to be.
On the few occasions I've listened, for me this has greatly detracted from what he's supposed to be doing - as when they cross to Pougatch, he's instead telling us about what's going on in front of him rather than keeping us up to date with other scores. This now seems to be John Murray's job, an extra burden while he too is covering a commentary game.
Having Pougatch at a game has always appeared to me to be something of a cheap spoiling tactic aimed at talkSPORT, but it only really succeeds at making it even more difficult to keep track of other scores on their station, particularly as when I've listened Five Live have tended to stick more closely to their 3pm game than talkSPORT do.
I hope that makes sense, and it doesn't look like I'm disagreeing with you for the sake of it or knocking Five Live for what they do (their Saturday service seems to be aimed at Premier League fans and will never be for me), but I just cannot understand why someone would listen to Five Live on a Saturday afternoon if they wanted to keep across everything going on in the Football League.
I don't know your age, but was wondering if you remember the old Beacon / WABC days when they were studio based with The Prof and would go around the grounds rather than do commentary? I really liked that show and TS's old Saturday service was the nearest thing that came to it. While it's good for them to have a live game I almost regret losing this alternative to Five Live.
Agree that Five Live Sport was a better program when anchored from TVC
Was Lisa O'Sullivan anchoring BBC London's sports show last night, or was she just reading sports news and doing other studio-based duties?
If it was the former, how did she do? She's been a sports newsreader on talkSPORT (and other stations) for many years now but I don't think I've ever heard her presenting a show.
I don't know your age, but was wondering if you remember the old Beacon / WABC days when they were studio based with The Prof and would go around the grounds rather than do commentary? I really liked that show and TS's old Saturday service was the nearest thing that came to it. While it's good for them to have a live game I almost regret losing this alternative to Five Live.
Agree that Five Live Sport was a better program when anchored from TVC
I'm in my mid 20s, but I'm afraid I never got to listen to the Beacon/WABC around the grounds show which you speak of, which is a shame as I believe Nigel Pearson (who I have always rated highly) was involved in their coverage before he started reporting for the then-Talk Radio on their Football League coverage.
I did however grow up listening to another West Midlands around the grounds service, BBC WM's Sport on Saturday presented (as their 2-5pm Saturday slot is now) by Paul Franks in the mid 90s. They had the odd second half commentary but it was often a full around the grounds programme with reporters at the five West Midland league clubs plus a non-league 'Game of the Day', with detailed score updates from English league games outwith the region.
It was once WM started to do commentaries on Saturday afternoons (around the turn of the decade) that I began gravitating towards the now talkSPORT and their Football First show, which was naturally different and difficult to compare in the respect that it had reporters at games across the whole of the country rather than just the Midlands.
As my team are rarely selected for live match commentary on either national or local radio, I have always preferred listening to around the grounds shows rather than a commentary on another game when it comes to following my team on a Saturday afternoon or on busy midweek evenings.
That kind of show allows me to follow my club more closely than relying on infrequent scorelines coming through on another commentary, and on top of that I find the jumping between numerous grounds without being anchored at one a more enjoyable style of radio on a day/evening when a lot is happening in the football world.
Like you I was quite disappointed when talkSPORT won live Premier League commentary rights from 2007/08 onwards, as while I appreciate it is something that has been good for the station's audience figures and IMO it was right that Five Live's monopoly over the league was broken up, the loss of a show like Football First on a Saturday has left a real gap in the market for listeners like myself.
Mark Saggers presenting Kick-Off: Wednesday Night Football alongside Ray Parlour
Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg
Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers - Ian Danter
Premier League
Arsenal v Bolton Wanderers - Ian Abrahams
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur - Dom McGuinness
BBC WM
Mark Regan presenting The Football Phone-In and WM Sport from Villa Park
Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg
Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers - Mike Taylor and Ron Atkinson (commentary)
BRMB
Tom Ross presenting The Goalzone from Villa Park
Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg
Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers - Tom Ross and Pat Heard (commentary), with Mikey Burrows interviewing the fans outside Villa Park
Newport County V York City (FA Trophy 2nd round) - Alistair Ross and Max Benson (BBC Radio York)
Reading in yesterday's South Wales Argus, should Newport County get promoted to the Conference National (Blue Square Premier) Radio Wales would not offer commentaries on their games.
Comments
If you want to keep up with "everything", then why on earth would you listen to Five Live on a Saturday afternoon?
I support a lower league club and I just couldn't imagine ever listening to Five Live Sport out of choice between 3-5pm on a Saturday afternoon.
The reason for this is simple - I find it practically impossible to be able to follow my team via that platform.
Unless my team are featured in one of Five Live's featured games from the lower divisions (very unlikely as they are mid-table and unfashionable), the only time you'd hear their scoreline - as well as that of many other non-featured games from Leagues One and Two - is during the half and full time scores, and if you are listening intently, when scores are quickly read out during the commentary. And there are rarely further details other than brief scoreflashes.
To this end, talkSPORT will always be a much better listen in my view.
I grew to love the station's excellent Saturday afternoon around the grounds service, Football First - when I was living outside of the Midlands in the days before Freeview became as standard, it was an absolute godsend and the only service I had available to me at the time to properly follow my team on a Saturday. This show alone was one of the biggest reasons as to why I've become such a regular listener to the station in general.
But even since they began providing 3pm Premier League commentaries in 2007 - the Saturday service has still, to a lesser degree, remained true to it's around the grounds roots.
Although he now has to contend with a live commentary, Adrian Durham is still studio-based with all the scores at his fingertips, and he is crossed to on a regular basis to round up all the games with goals, often paying reference to scorers, missed penalties, sendings off etc. They'll go around the other featured grounds and pop back to the studio in 5 to 10 minute intervals, and when I've listened, they have even missed goals in their live games to do this.
I don't know how much of Matchday Live you've heard, but to say they only concentrate on one match is a total fallacy.
Contrast how Matchday Live is presented to that of Five Live. Since 2007, a big bugbear for me is that Mark Pougatch usually tends to be based at a ground (almost always the ground playing host to the talkSPORT commentary game :rolleyes:) rather than at Television Centre with his eyes across the scores coming in as he used to be.
On the few occasions I've listened, for me this has greatly detracted from what he's supposed to be doing - as when they cross to Pougatch, he's instead telling us about what's going on in front of him rather than keeping us up to date with other scores. This now seems to be John Murray's job, an extra burden while he too is covering a commentary game.
Having Pougatch at a game has always appeared to me to be something of a cheap spoiling tactic aimed at talkSPORT, but it only really succeeds at making it even more difficult to keep track of other scores on their station, particularly as when I've listened Five Live have tended to stick more closely to their 3pm game than talkSPORT do.
I hope that makes sense, and it doesn't look like I'm disagreeing with you for the sake of it or knocking Five Live for what they do (their Saturday service seems to be aimed at Premier League fans and will never be for me), but I just cannot understand why someone would listen to Five Live on a Saturday afternoon if they wanted to keep across everything going on in the Football League.
Listening to talkSPORT yesterday, and Graham Beecroft who was at Bolton-Arsenal for them mentioned that he'd been at Everton-Manchester City on Saturday night.
Seeing as Simon Humphreys was at that game for talkSPORT, would Beeky have been commentating on that game for Premier League Radio?
I think he has done games for them in the recent past, and if he was working at Goodison Park then it would have been either for them, Today FM, RTE Radio 1 or local radio in the North-West.
Hope he makes a full recovery.
Commentating for Everton TV I believe.
Please tell me your joking there :rolleyes:
Thanks George - I had failed to consider that he might be working for some kind of TV.
Doing a quick Google search for "Graham Beecroft Everton TV" brought this up - LINK - so evidently this wasn't a one-off for Beeky. Do you know if he is a regular commentator/contributor on Everton TV?
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but it would appear that Everton TV is a web-based channel similar to the World/Player service available on Football League club websites, rather than an actual TV channel like MUTV, Chelsea TV etc.
Beacon 97.2FM and Gold 1152AM (Birmingham)
Joe Holt presenting The Sports Bar (Gold only), followed by Tom Ross hosting The Black Country Goalzone from St James' Park
Championship
Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion - Tom Ross and Tony Brown (commentary)
BBC WM
Mark Regan presenting The Football Phone-In, followed by Gurney & Wheeler
Championship
Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion - Richard Wilford
talkSPORT
Mark Saggers presenting Kick-Off: Monday Night Football alongside Stewart Robson, Paul Duffen and Paddy Barclay from The Times
Championship
Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion - Graham Courtney
Scottish Cup Sportsound presented by Kenny McIntyre
Ayr Utd v Brechin City - Allan Preston
Edinburgh City v Montrose - Brian McLaughlin
Forfar v St Johnstone - Scott Davie (by phone)
Inverness CT v Motherwell - John Robertson
Kilmarnock v Falkirk - Charlie Mann and Billy Dodds
Ross County v Inverurie Locos - Brian Irvine
Poor show that they've sent a reporter to every game except Albion Rovers v Stirling Albion.
Newcastle v WBA Arlo White (host), Ian Dennis, Darren Fletcher and Steve Stone (commentary)
And here it is.... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8464392.stm
Darren Fletcher doing the commentary.
At half time on Five Live, they also played the moment Mark Clemmit's Chair broke whilst doing a report from Morecambe a few years ago, with listeners invited to vote for their favourite.
Reminds me of one of Radio Lancs presenter Gary Hicksons "on air disasters" ironically also involving Morecambe......
Pretty sure he's the regular commentator.
Don't know for definite but I strongly suspect you are correct.
Mark Saggers presenting Kick-Off: Tuesday Night Football alongside Ray Parlour
Carling Cup Semi-Final First Leg
Manchester City v Manchester United - Dom McGuinness
FA Cup Third Round
Brentford v Doncaster Rovers - Andy Clarke
FA Cup Third Round Replay
Cardiff City v Bristol City - Roger Hughes
Championship
Blackpool v Sheffield Wednesday - Graham Beecroft
Scottish Cup Fourth Round Replay
Rangers v Hamilton - Mark Donaldson
Earlier in the day, Ian Abrahams reported from David Gold and David Sullivan's initial press conference as the new owners of West Ham United.
BBC Manchester - Host: Ian Cheeseman
Man City v Man Utd (League Cup SF 1st Leg): Ian Cheeseman (1-22), Steve Wyeth (23-45), Nigel Gleghorn & Arthur Albiston (Commentary)
Stockport v Swindon: Brian Clark (Updates)
Aldershot v Rochdale: Drew Savage (Updates)
Bury v Bradford: Jack Dearden (Updates)
Key 103 (FM Only)
Man City v Man Utd (League Cup SF 1st Leg): Hugh Ferris, Andy Hinchcliffe & Mickey Thomas
BBC Lancashire - Host: Gary Hickson from Bloomfield Road
Blackpool v Sheffield Wednesday: Ian Chisnall & Steve Canavan (Commentary)
Accrington v Gillingham (FA Cup Round 3): Scott Reid (Updates)
Scottish Cup Sportsound, presented by Richard Gordon.
Morton v Celtic - David Begg and Jim Duffy (810MW commentary), with Kenny McIntyre pitchside
Rangers v Hamilton Accies - John Barnes and Craig Paterson (online commentary)
Man City v Man Utd Alan Green, Mike Ingham and Chis Waddle (commentary)
Cardiff v Bristol City Alistair Bruce-Ball
Accrington v Gillingham Juliette Ferrington
Brentford v Doncaster David Oates
Notts County v Forest Green Jacqui Oatley
Blackpool v Sheff Wed Peter Slater
Morton v Celtic Ian Turner
Rangers v Hamilton Alison Walker
BBC London 94.9
Brentford v Doncaster Billy Reeves
Charlton v Hartlepool Nick Godwin and Bradley Allen (commentary) with Jamie Hill
Leyton Orient v Yeovil Dave Victor
Studio Lisa O'Sullivan
studio: Nick Hatton
Huddersfield Town verses Bristol Rovers (92.4, 95.3 and 102.7 FM)
commentator: Paul Ogdon
summariser: Kieran O'Regan
Leeds United verses Carlisle United (103.9 FM
coverage: Adam Pope and Andy Ritchie
Bury verses Bradford City (AM and DAB)
commentator: Gareth Jones
summariser: Terry Dolan
The Pulse
Huddersfield Town verses Bristol Rovers
commentator: Tim Thornton
summariser: Rob Edwards
Bury verses Bradford City
commentator: Jason Thornton
Pulse 2
Bury verses Bradford City
commentator: Jason Thornton
Huddersfield Town verses Bristol Rovers
reporter: Tim Thornton
Notes
Pulse Sport and Pulse 2 Sport were separate programmes, but both featured some of the same interviews. I don't think Pulse 2 had a summariser.
I'm glad the Pulse and Pulse 2 provided commentary on both matches. I'm surprised Bradford's match wasn't on FM as Huddersfield Town fans could have heard their match on FM, and Bradford were away.
Steve James hosting with a brief 'Football Hour' with Christian Roberts
Cardiff City V Bristol City (FA Cup 3rd round replay) - Rob Phillips and Nathan Blake (AM / FM / Digital / Online)
BBC Radio Cymru
Cardiff City V Bristol City (FA Cup 3rd round replay) - Ian Gwyn Hughes (updates)
BBC Bristol / Somerset
Geoff Twentymann hosting
Cardiff City V Bristol City (FA Cup 3rd round replay) - Pete Simson and Adam Baker (94.9FM / 104.6FM / Online)
During the first half, a gust of wind took all of Pete's pre-prepared notes away, and also moaned about how Cold it was. No idea if he got them back though
Hudersfield Town V Bristol Rovers - Ed Hadwin and Keith Brookman (1548MW)
Leyton Orient V Yeovil Town - Chris Spittles and Dave Linney (95.5FM)
Real Radio South Wales
Cardif City V Bristol City (FA Cup 3rd round replay) - Mark Poyser
With CC being on BBC 1 I feel it would be better to concentrate on the PL especially as both games have influence on the top, bottom and middle of the league.
Their main commentary is the CC semi-final 2nd leg
I don't know your age, but was wondering if you remember the old Beacon / WABC days when they were studio based with The Prof and would go around the grounds rather than do commentary? I really liked that show and TS's old Saturday service was the nearest thing that came to it. While it's good for them to have a live game I almost regret losing this alternative to Five Live.
Agree that Five Live Sport was a better program when anchored from TVC
Was Lisa O'Sullivan anchoring BBC London's sports show last night, or was she just reading sports news and doing other studio-based duties?
If it was the former, how did she do? She's been a sports newsreader on talkSPORT (and other stations) for many years now but I don't think I've ever heard her presenting a show.
I'm in my mid 20s, but I'm afraid I never got to listen to the Beacon/WABC around the grounds show which you speak of, which is a shame as I believe Nigel Pearson (who I have always rated highly) was involved in their coverage before he started reporting for the then-Talk Radio on their Football League coverage.
I did however grow up listening to another West Midlands around the grounds service, BBC WM's Sport on Saturday presented (as their 2-5pm Saturday slot is now) by Paul Franks in the mid 90s. They had the odd second half commentary but it was often a full around the grounds programme with reporters at the five West Midland league clubs plus a non-league 'Game of the Day', with detailed score updates from English league games outwith the region.
It was once WM started to do commentaries on Saturday afternoons (around the turn of the decade) that I began gravitating towards the now talkSPORT and their Football First show, which was naturally different and difficult to compare in the respect that it had reporters at games across the whole of the country rather than just the Midlands.
As my team are rarely selected for live match commentary on either national or local radio, I have always preferred listening to around the grounds shows rather than a commentary on another game when it comes to following my team on a Saturday afternoon or on busy midweek evenings.
That kind of show allows me to follow my club more closely than relying on infrequent scorelines coming through on another commentary, and on top of that I find the jumping between numerous grounds without being anchored at one a more enjoyable style of radio on a day/evening when a lot is happening in the football world.
Like you I was quite disappointed when talkSPORT won live Premier League commentary rights from 2007/08 onwards, as while I appreciate it is something that has been good for the station's audience figures and IMO it was right that Five Live's monopoly over the league was broken up, the loss of a show like Football First on a Saturday has left a real gap in the market for listeners like myself.
talkSPORT
Mark Saggers presenting Kick-Off: Wednesday Night Football alongside Ray Parlour
Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg
Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers - Ian Danter
Premier League
Arsenal v Bolton Wanderers - Ian Abrahams
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur - Dom McGuinness
BBC WM
Mark Regan presenting The Football Phone-In and WM Sport from Villa Park
Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg
Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers - Mike Taylor and Ron Atkinson (commentary)
BRMB
Tom Ross presenting The Goalzone from Villa Park
Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg
Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers - Tom Ross and Pat Heard (commentary), with Mikey Burrows interviewing the fans outside Villa Park
Reading in yesterday's South Wales Argus, should Newport County get promoted to the Conference National (Blue Square Premier) Radio Wales would not offer commentaries on their games.