Thought For The Day – Wednesday 1^st March 2023

Last Thursday, John Motson OBE, greatly respected men’s football commentator, whose voice was synonymous with the sport, passed away aged 77.

John Motson is pictured, in the first picture above, speaking with sixth formers  at TBSHS in November 2000.

In TBSHS’ Book Week, it is very appropriate to pay tribute to John Motson.   John Motson was someone who was a wonderful and respectful communicator, who always found the right words,  a meticulous preparer and a very good, humble and respectful human being:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/64771786

Please see above one of the commentary charts he used to prepare, with his wife Anne, for every game he commentated on.  Pride in preparation, presentation and performance.

In Parliament last week, Tracey Crouch M.P. paid tribute to the iconic “Motty”:  “John Motson was not just a commentator of great football matches but he was a commentator inside the head of millions of children playing football in their back garden.” Tracey Crouch  gave examples of her playing football as her Tottenham Hotspur heroes in her garden, whilst imagining Motty commentating.

An excellent documentary about Mr. Motson’s life, https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0b49n0b/motty-the-man-behind-the-sheepskin , is effectively a history of English men’s football from the 1970s onwards and charts his outstanding fifty year career.  A very moving part of this programme is when John Motson reflects on his experience of the Hillsborough Disaster, where John Motson once again found the right words in the moment, describing and reporting the tragedy and the truth of what was happening.