Have Mic Will Travel: A Football Commentator's Journey - Softcover

Ian Crocker

Softcover

ISBN 10: 178531033X ISBN 13: 9781785310331

Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd, 2015

Synopsis

A Scottish newspaper once tagged Ian Crocker a 'Have Mic Will Travel' commentator when he started covering Scottish football. Hard to argue, Ian admits - but it's been a great trip! Ian's adventures range from FA Cup dreams with hometown club Weymouth and supporting West Ham through thin and thin, to landing a job at Upton Park as a Tannoy announcer. From ushering studio audiences for Del Boy and Rodney, and working behind the scenes at BBC Radio 2, to commentating on football here, there and everywhere. From Arbroath to Amsterdam, Derby to Donetsk, Middlesbrough to Macedonia, Newcastle to New York, Southend to South Africa. From Football League to Premier League, Champions League to European Championships and World Cups. From 0-0 to a 6-6, and even an 8-4. From great players, characters, managers, matches and goals, to hopefully shouting all the names out correctly! The life of a football fan-come-commentator.

About this title

Review:

"If you're looking for Villa-related books for Christmas, Have Mic Will Travelis the fascinating story of Ian Crocker's life as a football commentator, a job which has taken him everywhere from Southend to South Africa. The man from Sky Sports is well known to Villa fans from his days covering the club during the 1990s and has some revealing tales to tell." --The Villa News & Record - Aston Villa Match Day Programme

"Ian Crocker is known as the voice of Scottish football on Sky Sports, but how did he get started in the business? I interviewed him to find out. I also discovered what team he supported and what phrase he hates, but can't stop himself saying." FootballPink.net

"Ian Crocker's witty book Have Mic Will Travel,is a funny, irreverent tale of his working life as tannoy announcer, TV usher and erstwhile producer at the BBC to football commentator. From helping audiences on Only Fools & Horses to being growled at by Ray Winstone after taking the only route to the West Ham tannoy booth, which happened to be the hardman actor's box! From Weymouth to West Ham to Arbroath and beyond, Ian's book covers the lot!" -- Scottish Football Historical Archive

"Highlights of this book include memories of the many Old Firm matches Crocker has covered, interesting interviews with the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane, the best and worst football grounds and his best and worst commentating moments. Many of us would love to be in Ian Crocker's shoes. This rare peek behind the scenes at the life of a radio and TV commentator is a light hearted and entertaining read." --Programme Monthly

"Eleven things no one tells you before you become a football commentator. Fancy the life of a football commentator? You might not have considered the endless travel, the freezing conditions, and the hazard of being exposed to fiery footballers with notorious tempers, writes Ian Crocker." --Telegraph Men

"Crocker's Cracker of a Story to Tell. There are various ways of getting on in the broadcasting world, it would seem. And not always conventional. Take the case of Sky Sports football commentator Ian Crocker. From painting caravans, doing the public address at West Ham and being in a dogsbody-type job at the BBC, Crocker is now the distinctive voice of Scottish football on Sky, so much so that this Englishman has done no fewer than 40 Old Firm derbies. Crocker, who has one of the best voices in terms of projection and timbre in sports broadcasting, has written of his commentating career in Have Mic Will Travel. His writing style is not exactly Geoffrey Green or Brian Glanville, but it is a lively enough read. And Crocker comes across as such a good egg that his constant references to famous people in the field of football and broadcasting in general are not just unashamed name-dropping. Rather they are namechecking by someone who can't quite believe how far he has got in such a crowded, competitive field." --Blackpool Gazette Book of the Week

About the Author:

Born in 1965, Ian Crocker has spent 40 years as a football fan, and 25 of them as a radio and television football commentator. He has worked for Sky Sports since 1992; also for Capital Radio, Talksport and ITV Sport. He has covered the Premier League, the Football League, Scottish football, the Champions League, Euros, World Cups and much more.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 178531033X
• ISBN 13: 9781785310331
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256