This is one discussion point we'll have to agree to differ on, so I'll try to keep things as brief as possible before we start going around in circles.

I set out some points about both recent and distant history to give some context to my view that Wolves have been the club that has received the most favourable coverage from BBC WM over a consistent period, with continual regular commentaries on them at times when there have been minimal coverage of the other four league clubs. Most recently, I don't think you can discount how WM had very limited access to Aston Villa home games for a number of seasons with very few commentaries on their home games compared to the other three higher division clubs. So any shift towards favouring Villa will have to be a very recent thing i.e. this summer onwards. And I don't think one special phone-in can be highlighted as being any greater than one summariser dropping out of covering a derby, equally there may have been factors (key people from the sports department being on holiday or committed elsewhere) that prevented them from giving the Wolves and West Brom takeovers the same immediate treatment.

As you said earlier it is all about perspectives, and as someone who supports Walsall rather than either club, I've never viewed WM as favouring Aston Villa ahead of the other three higher division clubs or giving Wolves anything short of exemplary coverage.


Well, in the nicest possible way, at least there's one thing we can agree on!

We must have just missed each other then. I started listening to 5Live 2 or 3 months before France 98.

Thursday 25th August - talkSPORT

Mark Saggers presented Kick Off alongside Ray Wilkins, John Cross from the Daily Mirror and Charlie Wyett from The Sun

UEFA Europa League Play-Off Round Second Leg
West Ham United v Astra Giurgiu - Ian Abrahams

This was the first domestic game Ian Abrahams has covered for a few weeks, he's been away in the United States on a press trip covering Major League Soccer. It's turns out this game wasn't live on talkSPORT 2 after all, either Saggers was mistaken in announcing this the other night or I misheard him. Probably the latter.

Earlier in the day, Andy Brassell joined Adrian Durham and Darren Gough on Drive Time to discuss the UEFA Champions League group stage draw as it was in progress. They didn't have a dedicated commentator or reporter on it though.


BBC Radio London

Nick Godwin presented BBC Radio London Sport from the London Stadium

UEFA Europa League Play-Off Round Second Leg
West Ham United v Astra Giurgiu - Nick Godwin and Bradley Allen (7.45pm commentary on 94.9FM and the BBC Sport website), with Jamie Hill at pitchside

Friday 26th August - talkSPORT

Jason Cundy presenting Kick Off: The Player's Lounge alongside Tony Cascarino

Championship
Burton Albion v Derby County - Geoff Peters

Earlier, Ben Fletcher (who succeeded Andrew McKenna as talkSPORT's afternoon sports newsreader after the launch of talkSPORT 2) updated the UEFA Europa League group stage draw during Colin Murray & Friends with Colin, Perry Groves and Bob Mills.


talkSPORT Live and Bundesliga English

Bundesliga
Bayern Munchen v Werder Bremen - Tim Long


BBC Radio Derby and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

Owen Bradley presenting Sportscene from the Pirelli Stadium

Championship
Burton Albion v Derby County - Joe Shennan, Ed Dawes, Tony Bentley and Craig Ramage (7.45pm commentary, also on Brewers Player and Rams Player)

Between 6-7pm, Owen and Craig hosted the Sportscene Talk-In from outside the ground. It's a Radio 5 Live-style commentary, with Brewers commentator Shennan opening each half and Rams man Dawes closing them, with Bentley and Ramage representing their respective clubs as summarisers.

BBC Radio Scotland Sportsound, 26/8/16

Presented by Geoff Webster from Rugby Park, with Tom English.

Scottish Premiership
Kilmarnock v Rangers (7.45pm) - Rob Maclean, Gary Holt and Peter Lovenkrands (commentary)

can this be made a separate i thread its a boring argument that has nothing do with this thread

5Live this weekend

Spurs vs Liverpool - Conor McManara and Martin Keown
Watford vs Arsenal - Ian Dennis and David Pleat
City vs West Ham - Conor McManara and Robbie Savage

1) It was a discussion about the way in which BBC WM cover the five local league teams on their patch, which stemmed from highlighting the make up of their commentary team on a recent local derby and included talk of the number of commentaries they do on their respective clubs. I don't think that debate could be any more on-topic.

2) In any case, the discussion has pretty much ran its course. All that could be said by the two of us before we start to go around in circles has been covered in the space of eight posts. Why revive an issue that doesn't interest you when talk on the topic had otherwise finished?

3) Anyway, who made you the arbiter of what should and shouldn't be posted on this thread? You may have found that discussion boring, I found it interesting and I dare say many people reading this thread don't have a strong view on it one way or the other. Seeing as there appears to be no further replies about a subject that you don't find interesting, why not write about something that you do find interesting instead?

Good job I didn't post my cauliflower cheese recipe then

Jonathan Overend is on 5Live again so Mark Chapman's return now seems to be set for Monday

He's doing the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final on tv today.

BBC Radio Sheffield-27/08/16:-

On FM and Freeview-Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday. Rob Staton alongside John Pearson. (Rob was stuck in traffic so could not host Build up to Kick off).
On AM and Digital-Barnsley v Rotherham United. Adam Oxley, alongside Derek Parker (Barnsley) and John Breckin (Rotherham).

Reports on:-
Sheffield United v Oxford-Jonathan Buchan. He also hosted Build up to Kick off between 14:00 and 15:00, plus he said he would be hosting Praise and Grumble afterwards between 17:00 and 18:30.
Chesterfield v Millwall-Matthew Shaw.
Doncaster v Yeovil-Dave Fletcher.

BBC Radio Manchester presented by Jimmy Wagg from Rochdale - Saturday 27th August

Hull City v Manchester United - Liam Bradford - reports
Wigan Athletic v QPR - Paul Rowley - reports
Bradford City v Oldham Athletic - Ian Cheeseman and Steve Eyre - DAB commentary
Charlton Athletic v Bolton Wanderers - Jack Dearden and Marc Iles - FM commentary
Rochdale v AFC Wimbledon - John Gilder - reports
Walsall v Bury - Karl Bates - reports

Fixtures
Nottingham Forest versus Leeds United
Huddersfield Town versus Wolverhampton Wanderers
Bradford City versus Oldham Athletic

BBC Radio Leeds
Leeds United - FM - Katherine Hannah, Adam Pope and Noel Whelan
Bradford City - AM - Gareth Jones, Tim Steere and Wayne Jacobs
Huddersfield Town - digital and the official Huddersfield Town website - Nick Hatton, Paul Ogden and Matt Glennon

Radio Yorkshire
Leeds United - Mark Wilson, Niel Redfearn and Andrew Dalton

Pulse 2 and the official Bradford City website
Bradford City - Chris Cooper and Jason Thornton

Saturday 27th August - talkSPORT

Ian Danter presenting Matchday Live from the King Power Stadium with Alvin Martin at Vicarage Road, followed by The Full Time Phone-In hosted by Danny Kelly with Michael Dawson at the KCOM Stadium

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - Olly Wilson
Chelsea v Burnley - Russell Hargreaves, with Alex Crook and Ray Wilkins contributing pre-match
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth - Dave Rowe
Everton v Stoke City - Graham Beecroft
Leicester City v Swansea City - Simon Humphreys and Ian Danter
Southampton v Sunderland - Laurence Mora
Watford v Arsenal - Ian Abrahams and Alvin Martin
Hull City v Manchester United - Sam Matterface and Michael Dawson (5.30pm commentary), with James Dodd producing

Championship
Birmingham City v Norwich City - Tom Ross
Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday - Tony Incenzo
Huddersfield Town v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Dave Easson
Nottingham Forest v Leeds United - Alan Biggs
Newcastle United v Brighton & Hove Albion - TBA (likely Graham Courtney)

Cricket: Second One-Day International
England v Pakistan - Jon Norman


talkSPORT 2

Russell Hargreaves presenting Matchday Live 2 and The Full Time Phone-In from Stamford Bridge alongside Ray Wilkins

Premier League
Chelsea v Burnley - Alex Crook and Ray Wilkins (3pm commentary)


talkSPORT Live

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - Tom Rennie and Bobby Gould
Chelsea v Burnley - Simon Watts
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth - Will Gavin
Everton v Stoke City - Joe Shennan
Leicester City v Swansea City - Arthur Wilson
Southampton v Sunderland - Barry Swain
Watford v Arsenal - Adam Bridge and David Connolly (featured 3pm commentary on international stations)
Hull City v Manchester United - TBA

Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund v Mainz 05 - Toby Gilles
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen - TBA

Arthur Wilson is a new name to the service and a broadcaster I've not heard before.


Today FM

Philip Egan presenting Premier League Live, joined by Mark Lawrenson between 2-3pm

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - Peter Hood
Chelsea v Burnley - Graham Miller
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth - Alan Tolley
Everton v Stoke City - Phil Kinsella
Leicester City v Swansea City - Shane Pinnington
Southampton v Sunderland - Alan Lewis
Watford v Arsenal - Ron Jones and Brian Kerr (3pm commentary)


Newstalk 106-108FM

Ger Gilroy presenting Off The Ball alongside Dave McIntyre, Eoin Sheahan and Nathan Murphy

Premier League (as IRN)
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - ? (they took a full-time report but didn't credit the reporter)
Chelsea v Burnley - Mike Lawrence
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth - Nigel Bidmead
Everton v Stoke City - Paul Anthony
Leicester City v Swansea City - Shane Pinnington
Southampton v Sunderland - Alan Lewis
Watford v Arsenal - Andrew Cheal


BBC WM 95.6

Paul Franks presenting BBC WM 95.6 Sport from the John Smith's Stadium

Championship
Birmingham City v Norwich City - Richard Wilford (3pm commentary on DAB in Birmingham)
Bristol City v Aston Villa - Rob Gurney and Garry Thompson (3pm commentary on 95.6FM)
Huddersfield Town v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Steve Hermon and Paul Franks (3pm commentary on DAB in the Black Country and Freeview channel 722)

League One
Walsall v Bury - Tom Marlow

IRN - continued
Tottenham v Liverpool Eelliott Cook
Hull City v Man Utd Lee Stott

BBC Radio London
Tottenham v Liverpool Emma Jones and Bradley Allen (lunchtime commentary, first half on DAB only, second half on all frequencies)
Chelsea v Burnley Jamie Hill
Crystal Palace v Bournemouth Nick Godwin and Matt Lawrence (FM commentary)
Watford v Arsenal Phil Parry (host)
Blackburn v Fulham Mark taylor
Brentford v Sheff Wed Billy Reeves
Wigan v QPR Andy Rowley and Matt Lockwood (DAB commentary)
Charlton v Bolton Louis Mendez
Chesterfield v Millwall Deano Standing
Rochdale v AFC Wimbledon (possibly) Alan Seabrook
Barnet v Carlisle Jonathan Blakey
Leyton Orient v Mansfield Dave Victor and Alan Dunne

BBC Radio Kent
Shrewsbury v Gillingham Ronan Sully and Peter Lloyd (AM commentary)
Maidstone v Forest Green Matt Cole (host) and Charlotte Richardson
Torquay v Dover Peter Smith

BBC Essex
Southend v Fleetwood Nick Alliker and ? (commentary)
Wycombe v Colchester NeilKelly and Dave Gregory (commentary at least on Freeview)
Billericay v Bognor Regis Stuart Smith (by phone)
Barrow v Braintree Gary West (normally of BBC Lancashire)

BBC Three Counties Radio
Host Geoff Doyle at Watford
Watford v Arsenal Jon Marks and Derek Payne (commentary on 98.0FM and 103.8FM)
MK Dons v Peterborough Luke Ashmead (commentary on 104.5FM)
Grimsby v Stevenage Steve Watkins and Dean Thomson (commentary on 95.5FM)
Cambridge United v Luton Simon Oxley and Paul Dixon (AM commentary)
Wycombe v Colchester Phil Catchpole

BBC Surrey
Crawley v Notts County John Barnett
York v Woking Gary Smith
Aldershot v North Ferreby Gavin Dennison and Jack Saville

BBC Sussex
Newcastle v BHA Johnny Cantor and Wayne Aspinall (early-evening commentary)

BBC Radio Oxford
Sheffield United v Oxford United Jerome Sale and Nick Harris (commentary)

BBC Radio Wales

Leicester City v Swansea City - Simon Davies (host and updater on MW) Rob Phillips and Kevin Ratcliffe (Swansea area FM & DAB)
Tan FC v Reading - Mark Poyser and Ian Walsh (SE Wales FM & DAB / SW Wales FM & DAB / M Wales FM / N Wales FM / NE & NW Wales DAB / Digital TV)
Hartlepool v Newport County - Gareth Blainey and Jason Perry (MW)
Dagenham & Redbridge v Wrexham (1215BST) - Marc Lloyd Williams and Mickey Thomas (N Wales FM / NE & NW Wales DAB / Online)
Carmarthen Town v Airbus UK Broughton - Alun Williams

Working with Jason has given Gareth Blainey some bad habits, as even he is now saying words without the 'h' (ie - centre 'arf). Did like them essentially commentating on nothing waiting for the teams to come out for the second half whilst 2 Unlimited's 'Get Ready for This' blaired out on the PA.

Hartlepool's manager said in his preview piece on Thursday in their local paper that he'd like to see four goals in the game. The first five minutes (2 goals and a sending off for the home team) certainly give them hope!

BBC Radio Cymru

Leicester City v Swansea City - Owain Llyr (host) Dylan Griffiths and Iwan Roberts (Swansea/Carmarthenshire area FM & DAB)
Tan FC v Reading - Mark Poyser and Ian Walsh (commentary everywhere/how else)
Hartlepool v Newport County - Gareth Blainey (HT/FT only)
Dagenham & Redbridge v Wrexham (1215BST) - Marc Lloyd Williams (FT only)
Carmarthen Town v Airbus UK Broughton - Alun Williams

Congratulations to Alun Williams for becoming the first ever winner to Owain's new competition 'Who am I?', whereby (as the name would suggest) three facts about a certain player are read out (with some old commentary) with participants shouting out their name when they've decided they know the answer.

BBC Bristol / Somerset

Geoff Twentymann (studio host)

Bristol City v Aston Villa - Richard Hoskin and Corey Smith (94.9FM / 104.6FM / 1566MW / Bristol & Bath DAB / Somerset DAB / Freeview)
Swindon Town A-A Bristol Rovers - Ed Hadwin and Keith Brookman (1330BST) (All frequencies)
Doncaster Rovers v Yeovil Town - Chris Spittles and Alex O'Loughlin (YTFC press officer) (95.5FM)

The Swindon Town game was abandoned about 2.40pm (with 25 minutes or so left) so it was then decided to only then start previewing the other two games (a text did come in at half time from a BCFC fan asking if Radio Bristol do know there are other local teams playing ) with Richard stating during his commentary that there was to be an inspection at 3.10pm. When that came around they relayed information from Ed Hadwin (he didn't come to air to say this) that it had indeed been abandoned, so all frequencies except that one for Yeovil would continue to take the BCFC game.

BBC Wiltshire

Swindon Town A-A Bristol Rovers - Dunno who (host) Shaun Hodgetts and Steve White

Not sure if they stayed on air until the normal 6pm, but when I checked at just after 4pm to see if Radio Wiltshire would do commentary on anything else happening in the region (Salisbury City maybe?) it was music.

BFBS Radio

Watford v Arsenal - Andrew Cheal (predicted 0-2)
EFL preview - Adam Inker

When going over his predictions, Andrew mentioned that his father sadly died during the week. He did come up with a quick eulogy about how the genes were 'passed on' when it came to predicting games.

Swansea Sound

Leicester City v Swansea City - Antony O'Connell (commentary)

BBC Radio Scotland Sportsound, 27/8/16

Presented by Richard Gordon from Celtic Park.

Scottish Premiership
Celtic v Aberdeen - Liam McLeod and Pat Bonner (810MW commentary) with Jonathan Sutherland pitchside

Open All Mics (92-95FM/103.5-105FM)

Scottish Premiership
Celtic v Aberdeen - Willie Miller (Jonathan Sutherland conducting post-match interviews)
Hamilton Accies v Ross County - Rob Maclean (Kenny Crawford)
Inverness CT v St Johnstone - Barry Wilson (Martin Dowden)
Motherwell v Dundee - Derek Ferguson (John Barnes)
Partick Thistle v Hearts - Chick Young (Richard Wilson)

Scottish Championship
Dundee Utd v Raith Rovers - Allan Preston (Brian McLaughlin)
Hibernian v Morton - Tam McManus (Paul Mitchell)

Saturday 27th August - talkSPORT 2

Adam Bridge presented La Liga Live

La Liga
Real Madrid v Celta Vigo - Adam Bridge and Paul Mortimer (7.15pm commentary)

I didn't catch any of the live game presentation, but given that coverage was scheduled for 7-9pm I'm fairly confident that lead commentator Adam Bridge handled the links.

Elsewhere, Graham Courtney was talkSPORT's reporter at Newcastle United v Brighton & Hove Albion in the late Championship game. They didn't have a pitchside reporter at Hull City v Manchester United, while talkSPORT Live's commentary team on that one was Toby Gilles and Craig Fagan. Their Bundesliga English service had Barry Swain commentating on Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the late game in Germany. In the Republic of Ireland, Grahame Lloyd reported on Hull v Manchester United for Today FM, while Newstalk didn't carry any IRN updates on that match. Thanks to Ian Fergus for confirming that Elliot Cook was IRN's man at Tottenham v Liverpool.

Yet again, I've just done a cut and paste job of the teams from Radio Wales to Radio Cymru and forgot to remove the actual commentators. That should be John Hardy and Owain Tudur Jones.

Will I make it a 'threefer'?

BBC Radio Manchester - Sunday 28th August

Manchester City v West Ham United - Ian Cheeseman and Paul Lake - commentary

Sunday 28th August - talkSPORT

Mark Saggers presented Sunday Exclusive and The Full Time Phone-In from the Hawthorns alongside Ray Houghton

Premier League
West Bromwich Albion v Middlesbrough - Jim Proudfoot and Ray Houghton (1.30pm commentary), with Tom Ross conducting post-match interviews and James Savundra producing
Manchester City v West Ham United - Dom McGuinness

Formula 1: Belgian Grand Prix
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - Graham Courtney


talkSPORT Live

Premier League
West Bromwich Albion v Middlesbrough - Alex Crook and Jason Euell
Manchester City v West Ham United - Phil Blacker and Rufus Brevett

Bundesliga
Hertha BSC Berlin v SC Freiburg - Joe Shennan
Hoffenheim v RB Leipzig - Kevin Hatchard


talkSPORT 2

John Anderson presented La Liga Live

La Liga
Athletic Bilbao v FC Barcelona - John Anderson and Adam Virgo (7.15pm commentary)


Newstalk 106-108FM

Richie McCormack presented Off The Ball

Premier League
West Bromwich Albion v Middlesbrough - Bernard O'Toole and Andy Reid (1.30pm commentary)
Manchester City v West Ham United - Nathan Murphy and Kevin Kilbane (4pm commentary)

Gaelic Football: GAA All Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final
Dublin v Kerry - Oisin Langan and James Horan


BBC WM 95.6

Rob Gurney presented BBC WM 95.6 Sport from the Hawthorns

Premier League
West Bromwich Albion v Middlesbrough - Rob Gurney and Tony Brown (1.30pm commentary)

Wrexham versus York City - FM, digital and online - David Payne, Tim Steere and Chris Jones
Halifax Town versus Harrogate Town - AM - Barry Parker

Football returns to Viking with commentary on all Hull City matches on Viking 2. The news coincides with an increase in power and coverage of thee Humberside DAB digital radio multiplex.

I do not recall Viking 2 ever broadcasting football commentary. Viking FM broadcast commentary on Grimsby Town's matches at Wembley one season. Listeners were advised to retune to Magic 1161 for music. I think Viking FM may have broadcast some second-half commentaries on York City matches. This was all either in the late 1990s or early 2000s.

Viking FM used to have a football show on Saturdays, which had reporters at Hull City, Grimsby Town, Scunthorpe United, Doncaster Rovers and York City matches.

I think Alex Burgess, who commentated on Hull City for KCFM and also worked for BBC Radio Humberside, used to be involved in Viking FM's sports coverage.

A few talkSPORT details. It was mentioned at the end of his press conferences segment on Friday's Hawksbee & Jacobs show that Warren Haughton is leaving the station after 13 years there. He'd initially started as one of H&J's producers, before taking an on-air role as a reporter and latterly their "transfer guru". They didn't state where he's going next, I suspect he could be returning to print journalism - he's retweeted a couple of articles from the football pages of The Sun's website so maybe he could be doing a few things for them.

Tom Ross will be joining Hawksbee & Jacobs in the studio later this week to speak about his autobiography The Game's Gone. I'll post a link to the interview from talkSPORT Listen Again after it has gone out.

Tuesday 30th August - BBC WM 95.6

Richard Wilford presenting BBC WM 95.6 Sport from the Banks's Stadium

Devalued Trophy Group Stage
Chesterfield v Wolverhampton Wanderers Youth - Chris Coles
Millwall v West Bromwich Albion Youth - Rob Gurney
Walsall v Grimsby Town - Richard Wilford and Martin O'Connor (7.45pm commentary)

I'm not usually one to give teams/competitions names that I deem to be appropriate as Ian C and others do, but I'll make an exception here. What the Football League have done to what used to be a worthwhile tournament aimed at giving lower division clubs the opportunity to win a trophy at Wembley is an absolute disgrace.