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BBC News
15-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Football commentator Tony Jones retires after 50-year career
The talents of the world's best footballers can often leave those watching for decades, Tony Jones has been putting them into words for audiences around the scrambles, furious bust-ups and matches played in sub-zero temperatures: the veteran TV commentator has seen it career has taken him from cub reporter at the Chester Observer to being the voice behind some of the World Cup, Premier League and FA Cup's most iconic the broadcasters he has worked for are Sky Sports, UEFA and Premier League Productions, which streams the English top flight around the now the 67-year-old from Suffolk has hung up his microphone, having ended on a high covering the UEFA Champions League final on 31 May. While many commentators forensically record the details of each match they cover, Jones does not."How many games have I commentated on? I haven't got a clue," he he does recall is his first football reporting shift: a fixture at Chester City in the came more regularly when he joined Anglia Television, ITV's station in the East of was first deployed as a TV commentator for Ipswich Town's 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers in December 1995. For Jones, who spent 40 years living in Norwich, it has all been a blur since."I know some commentators do keep lists of the games they've covered, but I tend to park it and move on to the next one," he says."If you're prepping for Bodø/Glimt and Roma on a Thursday, and then you've got to look at Aston Villa versus Brentford on a Saturday, you can't really spend too much time dwelling on what's gone on before." Some games do live long in the memory, remembers the rush of watching Southampton striker Shane Long score the fastest goal in Premier League history - at 7.69 seconds - in April also recalls Norwich City's remarkable comeback against Middlesbrough in January 2005 as one of the most thrilling games he watched. "There are some players who make you take notice of what they can do, too," adds Jones, a Wrexham fan who moved to Lowestoft in 2021."As a Welshman, certainly Gareth Bale for his outstanding pace."I saw Messi play when he was 17 and you could see then he was an outstanding player."[Cristiano] Ronaldo always had the ability to produce big goals on big days; big occasions." Jones insists commentators are privileged to have "the best seat in the house", but one stadium holds a special place in his heart."I've always loved Goodison Park," he reveals, referencing the stadium that will no longer host senior men's football but will be the new home of Everton's women's ground's TV gantry is notorious for the precarious journey across its roof to access says: "That was an experience in its own right, but it was always such a great position to view from and the atmosphere was always special."These days, the needs of TV probably override everything else and the commentary positions will be discussed between the architects of the new stadium and the TV companies."But clearly for somewhere like Goodison, that was very different. They weren't thinking about that in the 1890s when they built that stand." Jones is less keen on the London Stadium, home of West Ham United since 2016. "It's just not really a football ground," he says. "You tend to be a long way back from the action."I wonder if West Ham will look back and regret the decision to move there. It certainly lacks the atmosphere of the old Upton Park."There have been plenty of other "strange ones" over the years, Jones says."The old Doncaster Rovers ground, Belle Vue: you had to watch from behind the goal."I might as well have been looking at a TV monitor in the studio for the value of watching the game from that angle." Sometimes getting to the ground has been the problem for him, however.A trip to Blackburn Rovers to cover their fixture against West Ham was thrown into chaos when heavy snow caused the cancellation of his flight from Norwich to the elements on the A14 instead, Jones took a call from Premier League officials."They said 'Is this game going to be on?' and I said 'Not a chance,'" he says."But when I got to Ewood Park, it was a green oasis. It was remarkable how the pitch had been cleared."They decided to play it, despite the temperature being -5C (23F)." As for his commentaries, Jones says: "I'm sure there have been numerous occasions when I've got things wrong."When the ball is bouncing around in the penalty area, there might be two or three players on the ball at the same time and you might not know who gets the final touch in."But experience tells you to buy yourself time; to just say the goal has been scored and then wait for the replay."Nothing could have prepared Jones for the challenges of working during the Covid-19 pandemic, however. Grounds were closed to fans as football limped through the end of the 2019-20 says he was fortunate to be among a select few broadcasters who could still attend matches, but that it was a "surreal" environment."It was difficult for us because we need the noise of the stadium," he explains."I'm sure for the players as well it must've been very difficult to find the same motivation that they would've had with a big crowd. "That extra 0.01% that maybe gets them over the line, that gives them the opportunity to take on a defender and beat a defender." Jones insists the role of commentator remains vital, despite the rise of influencers and YouTubers hosting watch-along hopes his work helped listeners around the world understand the value of the job."You occasionally hear people say 'I'd rather watch the game without commentary,'" he sighs. "Well, if you tried doing that I think you'd lose so much."But it is a role Jones is now preparing to walk away could not have ended his stellar career in finer fashion, though, watching Paris St-Germain thrash Inter Milan 5-0 to become champions of Europe for the first is one of many happy memories that he will hold on to in the next chapter of his life, to be spent travelling with his wife and doting on their six insists: "It's not really a job; I've always said this. "It's a fun thing to do and it's even better to be paid for it, certainly for someone who's had a love of football since a child."He is quick to stress the job is not a simple one, though, with "a lot of hard work" going into it."I've had a good career, a long career that I've enjoyed so much of, but the time is right to go on and do other things." Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk.
The Irish Sun
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Who are the Channel 5 presenters and pundits for Club World Cup 2025?
CHANNEL 5's presenting team for the Fifa Club World Cup 2025 has been announced. Featuring a blend of Advertisement Ade Oladipo 4 Ade Oladipo is leading Channel 5's presenting duties Credit: The Sun At the forefront of the C5 presenting team is His career in sport started at a young age — Ade represented Essex in both football and athletics , as well as training at the Tottenham Hotspur Academy as a youngster. He began his career in sports broadcasting as an analyst on Arise News in 2015. In 2017, Ade founded his eponymously named YouTube channel, Ade Olapido, where he discusses boxing news and has amassed nearly 80k subscribers and 20million views as of June 2025. Advertisement more on the club world cup Ade's gone on to work with major broadcasters including DAZN , talkSPORT, Amazon Prime , Sky Sports , ESPN and Fox Sports. His natural charisma and ability to connect with audiences is sure to make C5's Club World Cup coverage of the highest quality. Kelly Somers 4 Kelly Somers is also bringing all of the action from the Club World Cup to a TV screen near you Credit: Getty Advertisement She has built a solid reputation through her work with Most read in Football She has also worked with other major broadcasters including talkSPORT, Premier League Productions and Optus Sport. Her deep understanding of the game and clear, articulate analysis are sure to enrich C5's coverage of the James Richardson 4 James Richardson is back on British TV bringing us coverage of the beautiful game Credit: PA Advertisement Veteran football presenter He built up a cult following while hosting Channel 4 for decade, starting from 1992. James' passion for the beautiful game and engaging presenting style have earned him widespread acclaim. He currently hosts the Advertisement His Club World Cup presenting stint will be welcomed by fans who appreciate an insightful and witty approach to broadcasting. James brings his wealth of knowledge about international football and unique ability to blend humour with expert analysis to C5's tournament coverage. Olivia Buzaglo 4 Olivia Buzaglo completes C5's presenting line-up Credit: Instagram @oliviabuzaglo Advertisement She always dreamed of going into sports journalism and is a die-hard Chelsea fan. Olivia began blogging for now-defunct magazine Shoot, before scoring a job at Premier League Productions. In 2016, she started working with the non-affiliated Chelsea FC Fan TV on YouTube — recording live segments at Stamford Bridge or videos discussing main talking points. It got her noticed by Chelsea TV, who soon welcomed her to their Advertisement Premier League Productions also promoted her to hosting duties alongside Clinton Morrison and Robbie Savage, where she worked on The Weekend Review. She has gone on to work with other major broadcasters including Teqball, DAZN and Sky Sports. Olivia's brings her professionalism and clear communication skills to C5's When is the Club World Cup 2025 and how can I watch it? The Club World Cup 2025 will begin on Sunday, June 15, in the UK. The tournament will run until Sunday, July 13. It is being held across 12 different cities and stadiums in the United States. The whole tournament will be broadcast and streamed by DAZN for FREE in the UK. Matches can be watched on Channel 5 will also air select games on terrestrial TV in the UK and have rights to a total of 23 matches. Alternatively, SunSport will live blog certain matches throughout the tournament - that includes Chelsea and Man City games as well as the latter stages.
France 24
18-05-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Vardy signs off in style with 200th Leicester goal
Vardy was making his 500th and final appearance for Leicester after a remarkable spell including a stunning Premier League title triumph in 2016 -- the Foxes were rank 5,000/1 outsiders before that campaign started -- and FA Cup glory in 2021. The fact the 38-year-old began his career in non-league football, having been released by hometown club Sheffield Wednesday before going on to win 26 England caps, just added to his cult appeal with Leicester fans. Sunday's match also came exactly 13 years to the day since Vardy joined Leicester from Fleetwood for a non-league record fee of £1 million (£1.3 million). "I've enjoyed every minute of this," Vardy, speaking on the pitch after full-time told the Leicester faithful. "I look forward to keeping an eye on the club I love. They are in my heart. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for taking myself and my family in as your own. I hope I've repaid you." With Leicester demoted from the Premier League long before Sunday's match against fellow relegated side Ipswich, Vardy had already announced he was leaving the Midlands club at the end of the season. It was then agreed Vardy, the club's record goalscorer, would not play in next weekend's final game of the campaign, away to Bournemouth, to ensure his last Leicester appearance came at the King Power Stadium. And he gave fans one more moment to savour when he opened the scoring in the 28th minute before being given a guard of honour by his team-mates when substituted with 10 minutes to go as he walked off the pitch as a Leicester player for the last time. He had led Leicester out onto the pitch before kick-off, with fans waving flags in the stands with "Thank you Vards" printed on, while two banners were hung up behind each goal end as the scoreboard read "Goodbye GOAT (Greatest of All Time)". The 2019/20 Premier League Golden Boot winner had already missed the target with two chances but it was third time lucky just before the half-hour when he finished expertly for his ninth league goal of the season following a through ball from James Justin. Kasey McAteer ensured Vardy would be on the winning side in his final Leicester appearance by making it 2-0 -- the midfielder's first Premier League goal -- in the 69th minute. "I'm happy I could play my way into the game and get on the scoresheet as well as Vardy," McAteer told Premier League Productions. "It's classic Vardy, it's spoken about how he always delivers and that's what he's done for 13 years at this club... To play with him and call him my team-mate is an honour. I was buzzing he got his 200th goal."
Metro
14-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
Man Utd plot bargain £20m transfer move for 'complete' Premier League star
Manchester United are reportedly considering a bargain £20m transfer move for 'complete' Premier League star Callum Hudson-Odoi. Nottingham Forest slapped a £40m price tag on the player last summer but the winger will enter the final 12 months of his current deal next month. It means that Hudson-Odoi could potentially be available for much cheaper this summer with Transfermarkt currently valuing him at €24m (£20m). Forest don't want to lose Hudson-Odoi, 24, and talks over a new contract are ongoing in an attempt to avoid losing him in the next transfer window. The former Chelsea star will assess his options at the end of the season with Napoli and Roma also thought to be interested in a potential deal. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. United have now joined the race, according to Sky Sports, with the Red Devils believed to be keeping an eye on his contract situation at Forest. Hudson-Odoi has become a popular figure at the City Ground since his switch to Forest to 2023 and was lauded by teammate Murillo this week. Speaking to Premier League Productions, Murillo said: 'I think [Hudson-Odoi is] a complete player, both defensively and especially going forward. 'Having come through at Chelsea, he knows what it means to play for a big club and to win titles. 'He's a great player, and I've always thought that. He keeps coming up with important goals for us.' Hudson-Odoi has conjured up eight goal involvements across 29 Premier League games for Forest so far this season. It has been a historic campaign for Nuno Espirito Santo's side, who have qualified for European football for the first time in 29 years. There were dramatic scenes after Forest's last match – a home draw against Leicester City – after owner Evangelos Marinakis went on the pitch and appeared to remonstrate with Nuno following the full-time whistle. Marinakis was slammed by football pundit Gary Neville for his 'absolutely scandalous' behaviour but Nuno defended him, insisting that there had been confusion over a late injury suffered by Taiwo Awoniyi. More Trending Forest issued a long statement on social media on Tuesday, calling out 'fake news' over Marinakis. 'We urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgement and fake news online, especially when they do not have the full facts and context – least of all the injured player,' part of the Forest statement read. 'Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one — least of all the injured player. 'We call on these influential voices to show the same respect for player welfare that they often demand from others. Let concern come before commentary.' MORE: Arsenal stance on signing Rodrygo this summer revealed as Chelsea make first move MORE: Arsenal star Thomas Partey makes transfer decision after Barcelona approach MORE: Joe Cole says Inter Milan star would be the 'perfect signing' for Arsenal
Metro
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Metro
'I was booed by Liverpool fans - this is how Trent Alexander-Arnold will feel'
Trent Alexander-Arnold was subjected to boos from Liverpool fans at Anfield during the Premier League clash against Arsenal. Alexander-Arnold, who has been at Liverpool since the age of six, recently confirmed he would be leaving the club at the end of the season. His decision comes following a lengthy contract dispute with Liverpool and amid interest from reigning European champions Real Madrid. Anfield legend Jamie Carragher was among those to express his disappointment with Alexander-Arnold, who has made over 350 appearances for the Reds and helped his boyhood club win two Premier League titles and the Champions League. Alexander-Arnold was named on Liverpool's bench for Sunday's clash with Arsenal and was booed as he warmed up on the side of the pitch. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Those jeers ratchet up when the 26-year-old came on in the 67th minute and almost every time he touched the ball. Carragher disagreed with the boos but insisted he understood the frustration from the fans, while fellow Liverpool hero Steve Nicol described the scenes as 'absolutely disgusting'. Michael Owen knows better than most how it feels to be booed by Liverpool fans and said Alexander-Arnold will be 'mortified' and feel 'absolutely sick'. Liverpool supporters were unhappy with Owen's decision to leave the club for Real Madrid in 2004 and made their feelings know when he returned to Anfield with subsequent clubs Newcastle United and Manchester United. 'For his own people to boo him, it's a big lump in your throat,' ex-England striker Owen said on Premier League Productions after Liverpool's draw with Arsenal. 'I remember sitting in the player's lounge after playing against Liverpool for Newcastle. Me and my family were in floods of tears because I'd just been booed by my own players. 'I still struggle to comprehend it so I'm probably the closest person on the planet that knows exactly what it feels like to be in Trent's shoes right now. 'He will be mortified. Trent will leave now knowing that people booed him and it's hard to get that out of your head, despite what's happened over the last 20 years. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'I forget a lot of the good times and just remember the booing. It makes you feel absolutely sick.' Owen added: 'I do question what Arne Slot will do in the remaining two games, especially the one at Anfield. 'They were chanting about Conor Bradley and Steven Gerrard. It wasn't the whole stadium. You will hear a minority of boos, it certainly wasn't the whole stadium. 'There are a lot of fans who want to thank and praise Trent for his contribution and rightly so.' Andy Robertson, Alexander-Arnold's team-mate of eight years, admitted it was 'not nice' to hear the boos. 'But you can't tell people how to feel,' the Scottish defender said. 'That's how I feel about it and I'm not going to tell anyone else how to feel about it. 'Disappointed to lose a good friend, he's an amazing player and an amazing person. He has pushed me through and made me a better player. 'His legacy will always be there, he's done so much for this club. He will be missed for me as one of my best friends in the game. 'We've done it all together. He's took me to levels I never knew existed. It hasn't been an easy one for Trent but he has made the decision.' Liverpool manager Arne Slot, meanwhile, said when asked about the reception his right-back received: 'Everybody can have their own opinion and you can express it in any way you want to. 'I heard mixed opinions but the only opinion I have is I owe it to the players and fans to try to win a game of football. 'And if Conor Bradley can't go on because he is tired and I have Trent Alexander-Arnold on the bench, I will bring him in because we want to win this game of football. More Trending 'And he was very close for us to win it because he had two or three passes… What makes him so special, for me. 'It is quite simple: If I want to win, I bring him in and that's what I did. For the fans, they are entitled to have their own opinion.' Alexander-Arnold is expected to join La Liga giants Real Madrid after leaving Liverpool. Madrid, who look set to miss out on a trophy this season, tried to sign Alexander-Arnold in January but were knocked back by Liverpool. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Ian Wright names the Manchester United player he would 'love' at Arsenal MORE: Lamine Yamal takes swipe at Jude Bellingham after Barcelona beat Real Madrid in Clasico thriller MORE: Jamie Carragher makes Mikel Arteta sack prediction after Arsenal draw with Liverpool
