meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Desert Island Discs

John Motson

Desert Island Discs

BBC

Society & Culture, Music Commentary, Music, Personal Journals

4.413.7K Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2018

⏱️ 52 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

John Walker Motson, OBE, also known as Motty, has been commentating on football since 1971. He covered more than 2000 games on television and radio, including all the major football championships, 29 FA Cup finals (with an additional five replays), 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships and 200 England games. At the age of 72 he's just retired. Known not only for his footballing knowledge and his voice, he is often recognised by his knee-length sheepskin coat. His passion for football was ignited by his father, a Methodist minister for 40 years, who on his one day off each week would take his only son to watch football. The first game John attended was at Charlton Athletic when he was seven, and the excitement of it inspired him to create scrapbooks of footballing facts and collect match programmes. After five years at boarding school, where he wasn't allowed to play football, he left at 16 after one term doing A levels. He joined the Barnet Press as a trainee reporter and then moved onto the Sheffield Telegraph. When BBC Radio Sheffield, one of the first six local radio stations, came on air, he was one of the reporters pulled in to give match summaries. He then moved to the BBC as a sports assistant in radio, before joining the Match of the Day team on television. He has been supported in his career by his solicitor wife, Annie, who meticulously kept details of every match in thick A4 books which John used for his preparation. He was awarded an OBE for services to football and in May 2018 he was honoured by BAFTA with a Special Award for his lifetime's work. Presenter: Kirsty Young Producer: Cathy Drysdale.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This is the BBC.

0:03.4

Hi, I'm Kristi Young. Welcome to Desert Island Discs,

0:07.0

where every week I ask my guests to choose the eight tracks,

0:10.2

book and luxury that they'd want with them when I cast them away.

0:13.6

This is an extended edition of the original broadcast,

0:17.0

although the music is shorter for right reasons.

0:19.8

I hope you enjoy the podcast.

0:30.0

My cast away today is the broadcaster, John Motzen.

0:37.0

Only very recently retired, he and his sheepskin coat were for decades,

0:50.0

one of the best loved and most enduring double acts on TV.

0:54.0

Over 50 years and more than 2,000 matches,

0:57.0

he crafted his knowledge and enthusiasm for the beautiful game into illuminating

1:02.0

and dynamic match commentary, combining preparation, pace and pitch in perfect harmony.

1:08.0

His commentary on 29 FA Cup Finals and 10 World Cup's

1:13.0

helped to make him the voice of football.

1:16.0

But his reputation was built on more than excitedly reporting the twists and turns of a match.

1:21.0

Throughout the years, he skillfully parried with the Erassable Manager Brian Clough,

1:26.0

their most legendary encounter resulting in what could reasonably be summed up as a one-all draw.

1:31.0

And back in the spring of 1989 as the horror of the Hillsborough tragedy unfolded,

1:36.0

he transformed from football commentator to on-the-scene disaster reporter,

1:41.0

a deadly guiding viewers through the shocking scenes as they played out on live TV.

1:46.0

He says of his half-centuries work,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.