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YORK CITY SOUTH |
City History
Jon Champion (2011)
February 10, 2011: Jon Champion made a welcome return to York City South and held court for over a couple of hours. He started by telling the assembled masses how he got into journalism and his career to date. In a nutshell, post match Radio York interview when he top scored for York Cricket Club Second Eleven caught the attention of the bigwigs, persuaded to get a degree (Horsforth University), local radio, Radio 5 Live, Match of the Day, ITV and ESPN. He went on to host a general question and answer session and told us quite a few inside stories that I can’t repeat here.
Sir Alex Ferguson:
When I go into his office before a game, he’s watching racing on the TVHarry Redknapp:
When I go into his office before a game, he’s watching racing on the TV and on the phone to his bookieIncidentally, Jon re-told his
Sir Alex story and the cause wasn’t quizzing Sir Alex about our 3-0Terry Brown (AFC Wimbledon manager):
A great bloke, he does everything for the club despite difficult family circumstancesPremier TV:
A certain club chairman managed to cock up a deal with ESPN and got rewarded with a Premier TV dealJohn Motson:
Sponsors a Barnet player’s kit every seasonShola Ameobi:
Confirmed the story about Sir Bobby Robson calling him the wrong nameRevealed which
BBC commentator has 2 Liverpool season ticketsRevealed which he must ring before 6pm on Friday when the manager nips out for a
Guinness and fish and chip supperRevealed which Premiership manager is always
interviewed in profile, from the same side, to hide a badly disjointed nose, the result of a career in football.John Motson:
As a cub MOTD commentator, Jon Champion was told to go to a game and watch Motson commentate. Motson put microphone to mouth, commentated on the kick off after 8 seconds, put the mic down, picked it up and commentated when the ball approached the penalty area. Despite the long gaps, when Champion watched MOTD, the commentary was spot on, no gaps, no lack of continuity.Incidentally, to this day, John Motson sponsors
the kit of one Barnet player every seasonBBC or ITV?
Audience v Portfolio?Best of both worlds:
ESPN contract with extra work for ITV at the big events (like The World Cup)Ron Atkinson:
A lovely, very kind man. Champion had some sympathy for his Marcel Desailly comments, believing Atkinson comes from the old school when people weren’t PC and the language he used was more prevalent than todayReferees:
Big egos and very competitiveCity Debut:
City 2 Newport 0 (Peter Scott and Gordon Staniforth scored), January 7, 1978All Time Best City Team (That He’s Seen):
Roger Jones; Graeme Murty, Ricky Sbragia, John MacPhail, Alan Hay; Gordon Staniforth, Ian McDonald, Simon Mills, Brian Pollard; John Byrne, Keith Walwyn; Subs: Graeme Crawford, Paul Barnes, Jon McCarthy, Steve James, Peter Lorimer. Manager Denis SmithBest Player Not To Make It Into That Team:
Jan Novacki, Bolton loanee who starred for a month on loan and then promptly disappeared from the game.Worst Ever City Team:
Graham Brown in goal , thought about Roy Kay and Jimmy Walsh at full back but gave up as there were too many candidates to pick from.Two Games He Reported On:
City v Lincoln (David Longhurst RIP), ona day off watching from The Shippo, his story lead all the evening news and sports reports and Palace v Manchester United (Cantona kung fu kick).City Regret:
City haven’t been able to find a role or persuade Michael Sinclair to fulfil a figure head role. A man who is very well respected throughout the game.Having missed his intended train, he rushed out at last orders. Jon, hope you caught your last train home and many thanks for a lively evening.
PS Doing my research on Jon , I came across a whole web site of his quotes, many thanks to Private Eye:
A regular figure in
Private Eye's Colemanballs, below are a few memorable lines :