BRIAN MOOREFew voices in sport were as distinctive asthat of Brian Moore who died on 1 September, 2001, aged 69.In a broadcasting career that spanned almostfour decades, Mr Moore covered all of football’s biggest occasions including FA, European and WorldCup finals.During what some people would call thegolden age of English football in the 1970s, he presented ITV’s flagship footballprogramme, “The Big Match,” which regularly drew large Sunday afternoonaudiences.But it was as a football commentator – knowledgeable,professional and passionate – that Brian Moore will be best remembered.Brian Moore was born on 28 February, 1932,in Gillingham , Kent . He was educated at the Cranbrook School in Kent before he left to pursue a career that combined both of his passions –journalism and sport.After national service in the RAF, Mr Moore began hisjournalistic career as a sub editor at ITV’s “World of Sport” before movinginto print journalism with the Exchange Telegraph and later, The Times.He joined the BBC in 1961 as a radiopresenter and commentated on England ’striumph in the 1966 World Cup Final. He also covered the FA Cup Final from 1964to 1967 and the European Cup Winners Cup victories of Tottenham Hotspur andWest Ham.In 1968, he moved to the fledgling London WeekendTelevision which was about to start broadcasting on the ITV network. ITV’sfirst foray into league football coverage, “The Big Match”, had him behind the desk andproved an immediate success.But it was ITV’s coverage of the 1970 WorldCup that brought in the viewers and effectively changed the face of footballbroadcasting. Mr Moore presented the late night shows and presided over a panel of experts in a formatwhich soon became the norm for football coverage.Although he continued to work as acommentator, he also presented the Saturday lunchtime football magazine, “On the Ball,” and“Midweek Sports Special.”He covered the FA Cup Final on ITV everyyear from 1969 to 1988 as well as the European triumphs of Arsenal, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest ,Aston Villa, Tottenham, Manchester United and Aberdeen .He was the studio anchor for ITV’s coverageof the World Cup Finals from 1970 to 1990 before returning to the microphonefor the tournaments up to 1998. He retired as a commentator after the 1998World Cup Final between France and Brazil .He continued to work as a sportsbroadcaster presenting shows on Sky Sports, Radio Five Live and Talk Sport. Hewas also a director of Gillingham , a club hehad supported since boyhood.Considering the volume of football that hecommentated upon Mr Moore ’sgaffes were few and far between. One of the most notable came when hemistakenly told viewers Hamburg had won theEuropean Cup in 1980 when it had actually been Nottingham Forest who lifted the trophy.Mr Moore was a kind and modest man with many friends in football. He was alsoa fan of other sports, being particularly fanatical about cricket. He marriedBetty Cole in 1955 and they remained together until his death in 2001. They hadtwo sons.After Brian Moore’s death, his fellowbroadcaster Bob Wilson said: “I think that if I had to give a tribute to Brianas a commentator it would be that I don't think there is anyone in the world offootball, and football is a big world, who had a bad word to say about him.”
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