A lot is written about tradition in football and most in the UK will instantly identify with the classified football results being read on BBC radio at 5.00 on a Saturday on Sports Report, the reader was James Alexander Gordon.
The 'theatre' created by this man is discussed in two of the articles below. As has been said, he has a certain inflection in his voice that leads the listener to certain clearcut expectations as he reads the results.....most famously illustrated in the matches between East Fife and Forfar. There is also an audio clip here of one day when James lost his voice but it shows how he sounds and the style he epitomised.
In truth the 5.00 O' clock reading was truly set up by the distinctive 'Out of the Blue' tune that announced the scores were about to be read.
For me two moments in my life are forever interlinked with the BBC 5.00 Football results show. The first was on the day of my wedding, Saturday September 6th 1986. Spurs were playing away to the Arsenal and of course I was otherwise engaged! As we left the church and headed off to the reception in the Rolls Royce I realised that it was 4.50 and the game would have just finished. Looking at the clock I realised that we would be arriving at the hall just before 5.00. I leaned across and asked the chauffeur if he minded turning on the radio and perhaps going around the block one more time so I could hear the football results! Look, my wife Terrie knew what she was getting in to marrying me and once the Arsenal nil Spurs nil result was read out we could go in and join the guests at the reception:)
Another occasion when the 5.00 Results show almost got me in trouble was one Saturday when I had played for Old Parmiterians. The Southern Olympian League and Old boys football in general had a fine tradition whereby the home side would provide a meal and a few jugs of beer for the visiting sides. There we were on this particular Saturday, the time was 4.55 and as a non-drinker I was more concerned with finding out the football results, than having a drink. Knowing our crowd would be in the home sides club house for at least another half hour I decided to go out to listen to the radio in the car park. One of our players had an old MGB sports car and would let me go out and sit in it to listen to the scores while I waited for him. This day he threw me the keys and I headed off to the car park. True to form the team emerged about half an hour later and as I sat there in the little sports car I saw them approach. Then to my surprise they continued walking. Straight past the car and further up the car park! Quickly I rolled down the car window and shouted "Oi! Where are you lot going?" One of the players stopped the rest and shouted back to me......"Hey Quilty, what are you doing there?"
It probably took a few seconds for it to sink in but I realised that I was sitting in the wrong car! I had used the key to get into someone elses identical MGB and had sat there for half an hour listening to a strangers radio:) The team roared with laughter to see me just sitting there waiting for them. I realised how fortunate I had been that the car owner had stayed in the club house longer than my team did! Can you imagine what the conversation would have been as I sat there in his car listening to James Alexander Gordon read the football results? WTF are you doing in my car mate? Ah sorry is this yours.......I was just listening to the football results can you wait a sec....they are just up to the Scottish scores now................
Sounds of James Alexander Gordon.
http://audioboo.fm/boos/222685-james-alexander-gordon-loses-voice-john-bennett-takes-over
Article on the BBC 5.00 show
http://www.twohundredpercent.net/?p=15981
Article on James Alexander Gordon.
http://www.newstatesman.com/200011270049
Theme tune for the BBC 5.00 Results show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv_idtcK1-E
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