I just wanted to take the opportunity to show my respect for Peter Drury, and wish him all the best for his debut this Sunday as Sky Sport’s lead commentator.
It amazes me that he has had to wait over three decades into his media career to get a job with whom many regard the face of Football broadcasting in the UK.
He replaces Martin Tyler who was Sky’s lead announcer since the launch of the Premiership.
For an audience who grew up with Tyler, he’s impossible shoes to fill, especially if, like me, you have an issue with change.
Sky Sports have smartly replaced his voice with another that equally was a soundtrack to my childhood.
It just wasn’t heard as often, as he was employed by ITV who at the time had rights to the Champions League and International tournaments, competitions that don’t showcase you every week.
It meant that the rare times I got to hear him, the more special the occasion.
ITV’s attempts to replicate Match of The Day in the early 2000 was a financial disaster for both the channel and clubs.
The positive was the voice-over to highlights from the Invincible season, which are often by my two favourite play by play commentators, either Drury or Clive Tyldesley.
The latter is too polite to say it, so I’ll say it for him, the only reason in the last couple of years he’s been picked less for high profile occasions is his age.
Younger readers, if you don’t know who I’m referring too you will when you hear them speak.
As a freelance worker it meant that Drury has offered iconic sound bites to famous matches.
He maintains his favourite is calling South Africa scoring the first goal of the 2010 World Cup, simply because of the historic significance that it meant to the country and continent.
His critics will say his greatest strength is also major flaw.
Famed for his beautiful metaphors and clichés, it becomes less organic, like he stayed up the night before and swallowed Shakespeare’s dictionary.
In other words, the man speaks his language like a well-educated individual who’s mastered his craft.
To a generation used to their content being Youtubers shouting and swearing down the camera, I get how Dury’s approach might come across overbearing.
Now weekly performing live to a larger audience, he might have to tone it down a little bit.
Save your best lines for Arsenal vs Man City and not Sheffield United vs Luton.
He talked over memories that will live forever in my heart. Two decades after our last title win, there is simply no one else I would want to call the action on our was to our 4th Premier League title.
Good luck Mr Drury
Dan
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