23 February 2023 , 12:44
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John Motson has passed away, aged 77, leaving behind a legacy packed full of iconic moments which are an intrinsic part of football.
Motson commentated on nearly 2,500 games during an illustrious 50-year career. Such longevity at the very top of the game is always going to create some unforgettable moments.
But what made Motson so good – and makes him so fondly remembered by millions – was his unmistakable love for the game. Motty started out in the late 1960s and only retired from the BBC in 2018; throughout his entire career his trademark enthusiasm never dimmed.
Most commentators have some iconic lines. Motson leaves behind much more: a treasure trove of relatable asides, humorous anecdotes and instantly recognisable collections of words.
Here Mirror Football takes a look back over his career, via his greatest hits of moments.
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Radford’s goal
Motson began his career at the BBC in 1968 when he was hired as a sports reporter for Radio 2. But his career really took off after he was in the right place at the right time and took his opportunity.
The 1972 FA Cup is synonymous with Ronnie Radford’s spectacular strike, but also with Motson’s commentary, which provided the backdrop to Hereford’s shock 2-1 win over Newcastle.
Ronnie Radford scored an FA Cup classic in 1972 (BBC)“Radford again… oh what a goal! Radford the scorer. Ronnie Radford – and the crowd are invading the pitch.. and now it will take some time to clear the field. What a tremendous shot by Radford!”
Reflecting on that goal, Motson humbly called it a “stroke of luck” which helped kickstart his career. “If Ronnie hadn’t scored that goal and Hereford had not beaten Newcastle, I don’t think I would be here talking to you now. It changed my life, in the sense I was on trial that year at the BBC, I hadn’t got a contract at that stage," he said.
Sheepskin coat
Ask someone to say what first comes into their mind when they think of John Motson and the answer you’re likely to get is “sheepskin coat”.
It all started in December 1990 at a wintry Adams Park before Wycombe Wanderers played Peterborough United. Motty was there for the BBC and, having arrived to cover a football match, he ended up doing a weather report.
John Motson's legendary look was born in the snow at Wycombe Wanderers (BBC)“It was in three or four inches of snow and the referee took one look and postponed the game,” he recalled in his 2010 autobiography. “Grandstand told me to forget the interview with [Wycombe manager Martin] O’Neill, and record a piece to camera explaining the sudden change in weather conditions."
In one freezing cold piece to camera, a famous association was created.
Wimbledon’s FA Cup win
"The Crazy Gang has beaten the Culture Club."
One of Motson’s most famous lines, delivered after Wimbledon upset all the odds to beat a star-studded Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final.
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It was a perfect one-liner to sum up a classic piece of footballing history. Vintage Motson.
Gazza’s tears
Motson loved commentating on England and he was there at Italia 90 for their heartbreaking defeat against West Germany in the semi-finals.
It was a match full of heartbreak, with the German progressing on penalties, but Paul Gascoigne’s moment came even before that, as he picked up a yellow card which would have seen him suspended for the final. His tears prompted some heartfelt emotion from the commentary box.
(Getty Images)
John Motson was on form at the 1990 World Cup (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)"Oh dear. Oh dear me. He's going to be out of the final, if England get there. Here is a moment that almost brings tears to his eyes."
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England 5-1 Germany
“It was a night to say you were there.”
Motson was there – and 14.6 million people were watching his coverage on the BBC.
A hat-trick from Michael Owen and one each for Steven Gerrard and Emile Heskey sealed a famous win for England against Germany on September 1, 2004 in Munich.
John Motson captured the classic Germany 1-5 England game (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)It was an occasion made for Motson, who delighted the viewers with his exasperated shock at England’s performance. There is one line that sticks out.
"This is getting better and better and better."
Zidane headbutt
"And the referee has gone across now with his hand in his pocket. He's been told about it. He's off, it's red, it's Zidane! You can't excuse that, Zidane's career ends in disgrace!"
One of the most famous moments in World Cup history had Motson as its commentator. Zinedine Zidane vs Marco Materazzi was a shocking moment captured brilliantly by Motson, whose effortless ability to distil the story into as few words as possible came to the fore.
Old school until the end
John Motson leaves behind a meticulously crafted set of records (PA)Motson’s final game on commentary for the BBC came at Selhurst Park in May 2018 as Crystal Palace played West Brom.
Palace won 2-0 in a largely forgettable match, which was given greater significance by the man on the gantry. The game saw him sign off and bow out, unapologetically old school until the end.
"I'm old-fashioned, I'm a dinosaur," he said at the time. "I don't work off a computer and I don't delve into the club websites, my research is based mainly on my wife's wonderful record book which she keeps dutifully and diligently every day of the season with all the teams, matches, appearances, goalscorers, newspaper cuttings, you name it – she's got it all in one big volume.”
That hard work means Motson’s career has been meticulously archived in a fashion befitting the man himself.