City On The Radio..

After seeing Phil Suarez gettig a mention in another thread (Loved his commentary) I'm trying to think of how many different radio stations have actually broadcast or have reported live on City Games. I may well be imagining this, but didn't Phil Suarez start off reporting on City games for CBC (who remembers them?) And i'm sure that Touch AM did City games for a while from some windy Fourth Division game where you could hear the individual groans and moans from fans as a side dish to the commentary. Then it was Real Radio for a time during the Hammam era? Can anyone remember anymore? Commentators -Co commentators etc?

Suarez was a DJ at CBC who was given commentary duties of City, and in addition, I believe he also commentated on Wales matches. He moved to Touch AM and was the logical choice when Real Radio started in 2000.

Suarez only lasted 4 months at Real Radio before being sacked. I never found out why. His regular co-commentator at Real was Gary Bell. At RR, Richard Shepherd commentated on all the Swansea games while Suarez was there.

When Suarez was relieved of his position, Grahame Lloyd, formerly of BBC Wales and their main TV commentator for a while (as he was for Soccer Sunday), took Suarez position and there was some rough rotation of both commentators. David Giles became the new City co-commentator. Phil Dwyer was used a couple of times but was useless! Lloyd was the worst radio commentator I ever heard by some distance and complaints about his commentary occasionally crept into the phone ins. Richard Shepherd was Real's main commentator and covered a few Welsh games in a broom cupboard with no crowd sound at all.

After Real lost the rights to Cardiff matches following a spat with the club, they had one reporter at most City games. Mark Poyser was one regular and he's now at BBC Wales.

Thinking of BBC Wales since 2000, John Hardy was the lead radio commentator for a number of years but now commentates on Radio Cymru I believe. Ian Gwyn Hughes occasionally covered games on the radio until he got a job with the FAW. Roger Hughes, who now reports on Sky and Talk Sport, commentated for a year or two around 2006/7. I thought he was pretty decent.

Rob Phillips took over as main Radio Wales commentator several seasons ago and is by far and away their best radio commentator. Poyser has been with the BBC for a few seasons as well and sometimes commentates on Cardiff games, as does Simon Davies, who I'm not so fussed on. Presenter Ian Hunt spent a few seasons commentating but is a far better host.

Around 8 years ago, maybe less, Radio Wales had a season or two where their main commentators didn't commentate on midweek games. Ron Jones (ex Five live) and Grahame Lloyd covered most City games and I'm sure I heard Ian Brown cover one or two. Radio Wales have also used one north Walian commentator in seasons gone by.

Thinking of Suarez, there are a few anecdotes about his time as a commentator.

When he was with Touch AM, he allegedly got a fan to carry on with commentary on one game in the bottom division because he needed to go for a piss.

There was one time he was combining tannoy duties with local radio commentary where he read out the team line up on air, thinking he was live to the crowd, and gave his pre match report on the stadium mic that should have gone on air.

In a cup replay at Crewe, he was giving the build up to the game only to announce that he "hasn't got one". The producer was asking about an effects mic and Suarez answered him in his build up!

Many years ago I knocked up a bit of a tribute to Suarez. A few people liked it. Here's a shameless share again. https://www.dropbox.com/s/iya0h6joa0...uarez.mp3?dl=0

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

Suarez was a DJ at CBC who was given commentary duties of City, and in addition, I believe he also commentated on Wales matches. He moved to Touch AM and was the logical choice when Real Radio started in 2000.

Suarez only lasted 4 months at Real Radio before being sacked. I never found out why. His regular co-commentator at Real was Gary Bell. At RR, Richard Shepherd commentated on all the Swansea games while Suarez was there.

When Suarez was relieved of his position, Grahame Lloyd, formerly of BBC Wales and their main TV commentator for a while (as he was for Soccer Sunday), took Suarez position and there was some rough rotation of both commentators. David Giles became the new City co-commentator. Phil Dwyer was used a couple of times but was useless! Lloyd was the worst radio commentator I ever heard by some distance and complaints about his commentary occasionally crept into the phone ins. Richard Shepherd was Real's main commentator and covered a few Welsh games in a broom cupboard with no crowd sound at all.

After Real lost the rights to Cardiff matches following a spat with the club, they had one reporter at most City games. Mark Poyser was one regular and he's now at BBC Wales.

Thinking of BBC Wales since 2000, John Hardy was the lead radio commentator for a number of years but now commentates on Radio Cymru I believe. Ian Gwyn Hughes occasionally covered games on the radio until he got a job with the FAW. Roger Hughes, who now reports on Sky and Talk Sport, commentated for a year or two around 2006/7. I thought he was pretty decent.

Rob Phillips took over as main Radio Wales commentator several seasons ago and is by far and away their best radio commentator. Poyser has been with the BBC for a few seasons as well and sometimes commentates on Cardiff games, as does Simon Davies, who I'm not so fussed on. Presenter Ian Hunt spent a few seasons commentating but is a far better host.

Around 8 years ago, maybe less, Radio Wales had a season or two where their main commentators didn't commentate on midweek games. Ron Jones (ex Five live) and Grahame Lloyd covered most City games and I'm sure I heard Ian Brown cover one or two. Radio Wales have also used one north Walian commentator in seasons gone by.

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Wow! Fantastic stuff, Eric. Grahame Lloyd was dire although i enjoyed Ian Gwyn Hughes. Was CBC the first radio station to host live City Games?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

Suarez was a DJ at CBC who was given commentary duties of City, and in addition, I believe he also commentated on Wales matches. He moved to Touch AM and was the logical choice when Real Radio started in 2000.

Suarez only lasted 4 months at Real Radio before being sacked. I never found out why. His regular co-commentator at Real was Gary Bell. At RR, Richard Shepherd commentated on all the Swansea games while Suarez was there.

When Suarez was relieved of his position, Grahame Lloyd, formerly of BBC Wales and their main TV commentator for a while (as he was for Soccer Sunday), took Suarez position and there was some rough rotation of both commentators. David Giles became the new City co-commentator. Phil Dwyer was used a couple of times but was useless! Lloyd was the worst radio commentator I ever heard by some distance and complaints about his commentary occasionally crept into the phone ins. Richard Shepherd was Real's main commentator and covered a few Welsh games in a broom cupboard with no crowd sound at all.

After Real lost the rights to Cardiff matches following a spat with the club, they had one reporter at most City games. Mark Poyser was one regular and he's now at BBC Wales.

Thinking of BBC Wales since 2000, John Hardy was the lead radio commentator for a number of years but now commentates on Radio Cymru I believe. Ian Gwyn Hughes occasionally covered games on the radio until he got a job with the FAW. Roger Hughes, who now reports on Sky and Talk Sport, commentated for a year or two around 2006/7. I thought he was pretty decent.

Rob Phillips took over as main Radio Wales commentator several seasons ago and is by far and away their best radio commentator. Poyser has been with the BBC for a few seasons as well and sometimes commentates on Cardiff games, as does Simon Davies, who I'm not so fussed on. Presenter Ian Hunt spent a few seasons commentating but is a far better host.

Around 8 years ago, maybe less, Radio Wales had a season or two where their main commentators didn't commentate on midweek games. Ron Jones (ex Five live) and Grahame Lloyd covered most City games and I'm sure I heard Ian Brown cover one or two. Radio Wales have also used one north Walian commentator in seasons gone by.

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Gary Weaver, who is now with sky, did local sports down here during the 90’s

Can’t remember which radio station

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Originally Posted by Tuerto

Wow! Fantastic stuff, Eric. Grahame Lloyd was dire although i enjoyed Ian Gwyn Hughes. Was CBC the first radio station to host live City Games?

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I wouldn't know, to be honest. Where I lived, I could never pick up their signal (or that of Red Dragon etc). Touch AM was hopeless in the evenings.

I would guess Radio Wales would have been the first, but that's only an educated guess.

Simon Davies is dreadful, if he's the commentator I switch off and put Jeff Stelling on

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Originally Posted by Tuerto

After seeing Phil Suarez gettig a mention in another thread (Loved his commentary) I'm trying to think of how many different radio stations have actually broadcast or have reported live on City Games. I may well be imagining this, but didn't Phil Suarez start off reporting on City games for CBC (who remembers them?) And i'm sure that Touch AM did City games for a while from some windy Fourth Division game where you could hear the individual groans and moans from fans as a side dish to the commentary. Then it was Real Radio for a time during the Hammam era? Can anyone remember anymore? Commentators -Co commentators etc?

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I remember CBC. Did Frank Hennessy have a show on CBC? Didn't it become Red Dragon Radio?

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Originally Posted by NYCBlue

I remember CBC. Did Frank Hennessy have a show on CBC? Didn't it become Red Dragon Radio?

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I think that Hennessy had a show on CBC, i can remember some bloke called 'The Major' and i'm sure that it did turn into Red Dragon, although wasn't Red Dragon already established in Newport?

I remember the Major, if you followed his racing tips you're probably homeless by now

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Originally Posted by Joe Gillis

I remember the Major, if you followed his racing tips you're probably homeless by now

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Thankfully i was to young to place a bet, The old man used to though. Maybe The Major is our very own Uncle Bob?

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Originally Posted by Joe Gillis

I remember the Major, if you followed his racing tips you're probably homeless by now

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Definitely Uncle Bob.

The Major was a taxi driver and friends with my dad.
Wasn't there a late night dj called binder that did topical debate cbc or red Dragon?

Cheeky fookers! 😂😂😂
I remember Binda Singh.
He's da one that had da Eric and Glenys on his show.
No! Not a really! Was his catchphrase