BBC Radio Scotland, 25/7/13

Richard Gordon presenting Sportsound on 810MW and online from McDiarmid Park with Michael Grant.

St Johnstone v Rosenberg (7.45pm) - Rob Maclean and Derek McInnes (810MW commentary) with Jim Spence pitchside
Hibernian v Malmo (7.45pm) - John Barnes and Craig Paterson (online commentary)

Good to hear the positive news IanF


It's interesting that some people who are more associated with current affairs were once involved in sport.

Before Eddie Gray was the regular Radio Leeds summariser for Leeds United matches, Norman Hunter was the main summariser but Peter Lorimer summarised on a few matches.

Mark Taylor covered Halifax Town. His reports would normaly be on AM, but if Leeds United weren't playing, his would be on both FM and AM. He would report on one platform first, and then the other.

John Boyd was the main sports presenter and he was fantastic. He presented Night Sport on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Wednesday show used to be on Radio York too, and later also on Radio Humberside and Radio Sheffield.

I remember there was one League Cup evening when Radio Leeds only had second half commentary rights for a match between Everton and I think Huddersfield Town. Barnsley were also playing. In the first half of both matches, all four stations stayed together. Radio Leeds FM (possibly AM too) left for second half commentary on the Everton match, and Radio Sheffield left at 9 PM for a music and Barnsley reports show.

On another Wednesday some years later, the first ever dual commentary took place on Radio Leeds. It was Leeds United versus Huddersfield Town in the League Cup. Adam Pope did the Huddersfield Town commentary. After the match, Radio Leeds took the final quarter of the Each Way Bet quiz, and John Boyd was explaining to the listeners of the other radio stations about the split commentary. None of those stations have ever done split commentaries on the same match.

It wasn't like now when the evening show presented from Radio Leeds isn't broadcast at all on Radio Leeds if there is live football.

John Boyd was still presenting live sport on Radio Leeds as late as 2003. I don't recall him ever presenting Saturdays, except for Challenge Cup finals, when he would be live at Wembley. Normally he was in the studio.

I think Jamie Bloom has only covered rugby league. Julian Gaunt still covers rugby leaue. He also sometimes commentates for Radio Devon when Devon teams are playing in the north. Julian Gaunt used to commentate on football for Radio Leeds. I think he was the commentator when Huddersfield Town beat Crystal Palace 7-1. At that time Huddersfield Town goal commentaries were inserted into the Bradford City commentary because Bradford City were in the Premiership, so Radio Leeds provided commentary on all Bradford City's matches. There would only be commentary on Huddersfield Town if at least one of Leeds United and Bradford City weren't playing, or if the two Premier League clubs were playing each other.

Just to add to wns_195's comprehensive update, Mark Taylor is now BBC London's out-of-region reporter. I think you are right re-Jamie Bloom. I tried to exclude the Rugby League reporters but my notes were not as comprehensive as they might have been twenty years ago. Indeed the notes were a bit sporadic that far back. I used to live near Colchester (1979 to 1984) and could pick up BBC Radio Leeds (albeit very faintly on AM) at that time so I shall trawl my notes from these bygone days.

Really glad to hear the good news about your recovery Ian.

On the subject of BBC Local Radio stations having out-of-region reporters, is this something that is a bit more common than the uninitiated might think? I can think of a few more out-of-region reporters on BBC Local Radio; James Mountford of BBC Tees (ex-BRMB and WM) covers matches for BBC WM when their teams play in the North-East, while Grahame Lloyd - primarily a reporter in the East of England for talkSPORT and Today FM - occasionally commentates for BBC Radio Wales on games involving Welsh (usually Football/Non-League) clubs in his adopted part of the world. Roger Hughes, a talkSPORT regular since 2007 but for a many years of BBC Radios Merseyside and Wales, has covered various out-of-region sporting events for his old stations as well as BBCs London and Manchester when available.

Can anyone else think of any other local radio reporters who are based outside of their station's target area? I wasn't aware that this was the case with Mark Taylor, who I think I'm right in saying is very much a regular on BBC London Sport. Going by the above post I take it he is still Yorkshire-based? The only other commentator I can think of who contributes regularly to a local radio station despite not being based in the area is from the commercial sector, Mikey Burrows of Free Radio 80s in the West Midlands, who these days lives in Yorkshire and presents Sky Sports News Radio's drivetime show from Leeds during the week but has remained a regular on The Goalzone.

Has anyone been following BBC Radios coverage of Women's Euro 2013? I had to leave for work at full-time in last night's Norway v Denmark semi-final and was a bit miffed to find that neither Radio 5 Live or Sports Extra were carrying commentary or even reports on the game; 5 Live had their usual Thursday night non-football magazine shows on while Sports Extra was broadcasting 5 Live Baseball. I'm a big MLB fan and always enjoy listening to 5LSE's coverage of it, but given that they have a team on the ground in Sweden I'm surprised they didn't opt to carry commentary on the semi-final ahead of relaying a US radio commentary on what was a bog standard regular season matchup. If that wasn't possible, they could have always shifted the magazine shows to another evening this week and stuck the game on 5 Live. (Not that it mattered to me ultimately, I managed to avoid the score and have just watched extra-time and penalties on the iPlayer).

As for what the games they have covered from the tournament, all three of England's Group C matches were carried as commentaries on Radio 5 Live - against Spain, Russia and France; the second of which was a 5pm kick-off and so cut into the Drive programme - and since then, they have broadcast commentary on Monday night's Denmark v France quarter-final and Wednesday evening's Sweden v Germany semi-final on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra. I believe Ian Dennis and Jen O'Neil have been their commentary team for all five matches, with Juliette Ferrington with them as their reporter in Sweden and Caroline Barker (of Sportsworld, The Non-League Football Show and BBC London Sport) hosting 5 Live's coverage of the England matches from Salford.

It'll be interesting to see if Radio 5 Live broadcast commentary on Sunday's final, it isn't the schedule as I type this but seeing as they didn't give up on the tournament after England went out and still have a team in Sweden I'd be surprised if they don't provide some sort of coverage, the Hungarian Grand Prix should be over by the time the match kicks off so hopefully they'll be able to fit it around their coverage of the Paralympic Anniversary Games which goes on all day and runs into the evening. Utilising Sports Extra doesn't look like it will be an option as that station has commentary on a Friends Life T20 cricket match scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Graham Miller is another out of area commentator. He has provided Leeds United updates on Radio Leeds.

Radio Leeds have confirmed that all Leeds United matches will be on FM, and Huddersfield Town matches that clash with Leeds United matches will be on AM. Huddersfield Town fans are unhappy with AM being used due to the poor signal. Gareth Jones has responded saying that the AM signal will be boosted. If I notice a boosting of the signal I will let you know. The AM signal isn't good at the ground, so I'll know what difference the boosting makes when I go there with my radio. Here in Dewsbury the signal is fine. I used to listen to the cricket on AM without any reception problems. I hardly ever listened to Huddersfield Town commentaries on DAB once Pennine FM started providing commentary.

Radio Leeds expect to know next week whether Bradford City will allow them to provide commentary on their matches. It will be better for Huddersfield Town fans if Bradford City reject the offer, because then DAB will be used for Huddersfield Town commentaries too. The DAB signal in Huddersfield is better than before now Radio Leeds is transmitted from Emley Moor.

With no disrespect to Gareth Jones, I'll believe it when I see it. I thought the AM transmitters were likely to be binned under DQF not improved

BBC Radio Manchester also uses Graham Miller for out-of-region reports. As mentioned earlier, Julian Gaunt covers the North for BBC Devon. Another occasional out-of-region reporter for BBC London is Drew Savage whilst Vicki Sparks of BBC Newcastle has reported from the North-East for BBC London..

I think Drew Savage has also reported on some Leeds United matches for Radio Leeds.


I too have my doubts. Surely they would have to get clearance and that would take weeks. The frequency is used in other parts of the UK by different stations and it is used abroad. I wonder when the power will be increased and why this hasn't been announced by anybody other than Gareth Jones?

Many Town fans are saying they don't have AM. I have a battery-powered Roberts radio that will do. It didn't cost much money. I think it was cheaper than my DAB. Where I live there is a hiss on 92.4 FM, so AM isn't really lower quality if the radio is positioned at a good angle.

It may have been more acceptable to Town fans if both Leeds United and Huddersfield Town away matches were on FM and home matches were on AM. I think many Town fans who are unhappy are unhappy because there isn't an FM alternative. There was last time Leeds United had FM.

Thinking about it, the better solution would be to get a line feed into the Keighley transmitter on 102.7 and put Bradford on that (it currently rebroadcasts Holme Moss). Leeds on 92.4FM and Huddersfield on AM and DAB. That way all three clubs have a "quality" outlet.

It's quite amusing seeing the Huddersfield fans on a Town forum completely missing the point that they only had FM full time because of the Leeds rights issue and that the 103.9 relay only covers a corner of Leeds that can't get 92.4.

Looking at the fixtures it's not that often that Leeds and Huddersfield are both playing at the same time anyway - I'm sure Huddersfield would get FM in those circumstances.

Saturday 27th July - talkSPORT

Georgie Bingham presenting Saturday Scoreboard, to be joined by Iain Macintosh (3.30-5pm)

Premier League Asia Trophy Final
Manchester City v Sunderland - Nigel Adderley and Alvin Martin (1.30pm BST commentary)

talkSPORT didn't carry updates on the third place game in this tournament, Tottenham Hotspur v South China, earlier on. I don't think they are planning to carry reports from any of today's home-based friendly matches either. Next Saturday, talkSPORT will be doing commentary on Steven Gerrard's testimonial match, Liverpool v Olympiacos, which is a 2pm kick-off.

I was close to the ground today (the Leeds Road retail park) and listened to 774 to see how bad it was. Perfectly listenable on my rubbish factory fitted Peugeot radio

BBC Radio Scotland, 27/7/13

Richard Gordon presenting Sportsound on all frequencies.

Airdrieonians v Hamilton Accies - Chick Young
Alloa v Dundee - Jim Spence (via phone)
Clyde v Falkirk - Derek Ferguson
Elgin v Montrose - John Robertson
Queen of the South v Spartans - Sandra Brown
Queen's Park v Ayr Utd - Murdo MacLeod
Raith Rovers v Stirling Albion - Charlie Mann
Celtic v Borussia Mönchengladbach - Rob Maclean

It's a 12:45pm kickoff.

Obs. doing delayed commentary

Newport County v Aston Villa - Owain Llyr (FT report only) for BBC Radio Wales

Not really much change from the status quo, but...

A couple of points .....

At least a couple of Bauer stations had live commentary last season. Has that been reduced to goal flashes?

On the Central fm phone in with Peter Martin and Alan Rough which is also now broadcast on Your radio it was announced that there will now be a Saturday Afternoon football show with live commentary presumably on both stations

A few of the Radio Bristol reporters have tweeted to say that ex-commentator Colin Howlett died over the weekend.

Rovers Talk page

Geoff Twentymann 5 mins tribute (starts at 1:45.00) (Rob Nothman interviewed)

bbc newcastle anounced in their 1 pm sport, that they have extended the commentary deal with Sunderland until 17

Leeds United have pulled the rug from under Yorkshire Radio - the station closes tonight at 6pm. So BBC Leeds will get exclusive Leeds United Commentaries by default.

How did you find that out? It is a very sudden decision and probably connected with the departure of Ken Bates.

Radio Leeds still doesn't have a commentary deal with Bradford City.

ETA: there i a statement on the Leeds United website. The decision seems sudden. Yorkshire Radio was a few hours ago, promoting interviews which were due to be broadcast this evening. It's just music now.

Ken Bates first forced Radio Aire out of the club before forcing Radio Leeds out of the club. I don't think Radio Aire would be interested in covering the club again. I cannot remember a time when Radio Leeds was the only option for Leeds United and Huddersfield Town fans.

Yorkshire Radio's days were numbered really - a loss making vanity project set up by Ken Bates as part of his feud with the BBC, on a DAB multiplex that is going to close soon(ish) anyway. It wasn't going to last long.

My sympathies to those who suddenly finding themselves looking for work.

Peak FM has commentary on Chesterfield matches, and Wish FM has commentary on Wigan Athletic matches. No announcements on the homepages of Tower FM and the Pulse about their football coverage.

BBC Solent for August 3rd
Bournemouth v Charleton Chris Temple and John Williams
Portsmouth v Oxford Andy Moon and Mark Kelly

Thanks for correcting me on that one. I had only quickly Googled details of the match when posting to mention it on Saturday, the original reports from when the match was announced back in May had it down for a 2pm kick-off. I'm glad it's going to be an earlier kick-off, as it'll be over by the time the 3pm games from the first Saturday of the Football League season kick off meaning that Matchday Live will be able to give them their full focus with their Around the Grounds service they usually provide. Had it been a later kick-off, doing commentary on it would have really detracted from the first Matchday Live of the new season IMO.