Match of the Day

For all football fans in the UK then Match of the Day is quite possibly the highlight of the sporting week. Shown around 10-10:30pm each Saturday night, Match of the Day (MOTD) provides a chance for all football fans to catch up with the day's major action in the English Premier League. MOTD also follows the FA Cup from the First Round proper right through to the FA Cup final. All the goals are shown as well as all the major match highlights; the day's best games are shown first, working right through to the most unexciting of the day's games which are then shown last.

As well as the main programme on BBC1 on a Saturday night, on a Sunday night Match of the Day 2 (MOTD2) is then shown on BBC2. In the Premier League there are always a couple of Sunday fixtures; Sunday's games get shown on MOTD2 and all the goals from the day before are also quickly recapped. If Saturday's MOTD is missed then it is repeated on Sunday morning at around 8am on BBC1; failing that however then MOTD2 provides a fantastic opportunity to catch up with all the goals from the whole of the weekend and saves watching all the rest of the highlights should you wish to save yourself the time of doing so.

For a while now it has also been possible to watch MOTD online; when watching MOTD online however it can only be watched at the time that it is broadcast on TV. This service is currently only available to those that live in the UK.

Gary Lineker is currently the main presenter of BBCs Match of the Day, he took over from Des Lynam in 1999 and has been present in the role ever since. As a player Lineker was always an incredibly clinical finisher and held an excellent games to goals ratio for a number of clubs including Everton, Tottenham, and Barcelona also.

During his playing career Gary Lineker also managed 48 goals for his country in just 80 caps. Lineker is an essential member of the BBC MOTD team, and having been a part of the pundits team since 1995 is always quick to come out with a number of jokes; some poor, others really quite funny.

In recent years a number of people have filled in for Lineker when he hasn't himself been available. Generally Ray Stubbs fills in for him; a regular fixture on MOTD2 also, others to have filled his presenting shoes however are Jake Humphrey, Gabby Logan, and Manish Bhasin also.

Gary Lineker isn't just a strong advertisement for Walkers Crisps (Salt & Lineker anyone?) but also an excellent Match of the Day presenter also and next year actually marks his tenth as main presenter of the programme; a major milestone for Lineker and definite proof that he's excellent at his job and more than worthy of his role as main presenter of BBC MOTD.

Joining the main presenter on Match of the Day are always two further football pundits. Alan Hansen and Alan Shearer both regularly feature here; others that often appear are however Mark Lawrenson, Gavin Peacock, Lee Dixon, and Martin Keown amongst others. Never do you quite know who to expect when you tune in, often however you can bet your bottom dollar that the line-up will consist of Lineker, Shearer and Hansen.

I'm sure everyone has their favourites; personally I like to see the main three appearing however and also hold quite an appreciation for Lee Dixon's punditry manner.

John Motson has served for the BBC as a commentator since 1971; he's the longest running commentator at the BBC and the voice with which I tend to most associate Match of the Day. Motson always comes out with some quality one-liners; he's been in his job for a very long while now and has over the years come out with some absolute classics. Here are some of my absolute favourite John Motson quotes:

"Bruce has got the taste of Wembley in his nostrils"

"The World Cup is a truly International event"

"The match has become quite unpredictable, but it still looks as though Arsenal will win the cup"

"Its Arsenal 0 - Everton 1, and the longer it stays like that the more you've got to fancy Everton"

"Nearly all the Brazilian supporters are wearing yellow shirts - it's a fabulous kaleidoscope of colour!"

"For those of you watching in black and white, Spurs are in the yellow strip."

"I've lost count of how many chances Helsingborg have had. It's at least five."

"The goals made such a difference to the way this game went."

"Brazil - they're so good it's like they are running round the pitch playing with themselves"

Keep coming out with those gems please Motty, and I shall remain a very happy man.

In April 2007 Match of the Day for the first time ever acquired the services of a female match commentator. The decision to make Jacqui Oatley the first ever female football commentator has therefore opened the door for other female commentators in the future. In total there are now over ten commentators utilised by the BBC for match day commentary.

Match of the Day 2009:
The Official 2009 Annual

The perfect present for any Match of the Day fan; The Official 2009 Match of the Day Annual. All Match of the Day fans would be pleased to receive this as a gift, and at a price of £4.99 it won't break the bank either.

A fine football companion and a great hardcover book for all football fans the world over to inspect and admire. A great book for those dark days when no football is being displayed on the TV, and also for the rainy afternoons when it's too cold and wet to go out and watch the games from the stands.