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.