A shearling coat and microphone will be placed on John Motson’s former Wembley commentator position at Sunday’s Carabao Cup final in a moving tribute after his death, and his likeness will appear on big screens before kick-off of the match so that fans can pay their respects.
- ‘Motty’, who became synonymous with English football, passed away yesterday at the age of 77
- He retired in 2018 after covering 10 World Cups and more than 200 England games.
A shearling coat and microphone will be placed on John Motson’s former Wembley commentator position in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
The legendary commentator, who became synonymous with English football during his distinguished 50-year career with the BBC, passed away yesterday aged 77.
A photo of ‘Motty’ will also appear on the giant screens before kick-off so that Newcastle and Manchester United fans can pay their respects.
He retired in 2018 after covering 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, 29 FA Cup Finals and over 200 England matches.
Motson began working for Match of the Day in 1971 and commentated over 2,500 games.
A shearling coat and microphone will be placed on John Motson’s former Wembley commentator position in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
The legendary commentator, who became synonymous with English football during his distinguished 50-year career with the BBC, passed away yesterday aged 77.
He was very popular with generations of soccer fans and was famous for his sheepskin coat.
Motson, who became an OBE for sports streaming services in 2001, was the son of a Methodist minister, born in Salford, Lancashire.
After his start as a newspaper reporter at Barnet and the Sheffield Morning Telegraph, he joined the BBC in 1968 as a sports presenter on Radio 2.
Motson’s commented on Ronnie Radford’s famous long-range shot that helped non-league Hereford knock top division Newcastle out of the FA Cup in 1972.
This led to him taking first place in the Match of the Day, thrusting him into the spotlight and affection of the sporting public.
His enthusiasm and deep knowledge of the game, its players and coaches, earned him a place in the hearts of fans for five decades.
Motson’s long career also included two Olympic Games and the memorable 1988 Wimbledon FA Cup final triumph against Liverpool at Wembley as the Crazy Gang beat Culture Club.
Motson hung up his microphone for the BBC at the end of the 2017-18 Premier League season and after their last game, Crystal Palace v West Brom, he was invited onto the pitch.
A photo of ‘Motty’ will also appear on the giant screens before kick-off so that Newcastle and Manchester United fans can pay their respects.
