'It’s a very popular club' - John Motson appear at Walsall's Banks's Stadium
John Motson was back in the hot seat at the Banks’s Stadium for the first time in 22 years and even wore his famous sheepskin coat.
It was 1995 when the legendary football commentator was last in Walsall when the then Division 3 side drew 1-1 in an FA Cup clash with Leeds United who were in the Premier League.
But this time the 72-year-old – who retires at the end of the season – was not describing the action of the big match but the highlights of his 50-year career.
And he had vertigo inducing memories of the ground saying: “I remember it because where I was sitting on the camera platform, I could see all the traffic on the M6 and I thought crikey!”
Motty – who has covered 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, 29 FA Cup finals and more than 200 England games – also said he admires the family feel of Walsall FC.
He said: “I know it’s a very popular club. In fact a friend of mine was a ticket holder here and he was going to an away game and he missed the coach and the Walsall chief executive took him in his car.
“That’s the sort of human club that they are.”
At the event called An Evening with John Motson on Thursday, held at the Banks’s he was chatting on stage his ex-school friend and Sky sports presenter Gary Newbon.
They discussed some managers and players they had the privilege of knowing including icons like Brian Clough, Bill Shankly, Sir Alex Ferguson, Matt Busby and Sir Alf Ramsey among others.
He said: “It was a bit of banter and a bit of humour and a bit of a trip down memory lane.”
He will be hanging up his microphone at the end of this season.
He added: “Everyone asks me about my retirement and I haven’t got a clue- a few more of these things if I’m still standing.
“Some of the clubs have been kind enough to say even when you’re retired you’re most welcome here so I will still keep up with my football and my old friends, I don’t find the thought of that particularly frightening.”
He added: “There has to come a time and I think 50 years is long enough, don’t you?”
