THE VOICE OF FOOTBALL

LEGENDARY COMMENTATOR JOHN MOTSON DIES AGE 77. Tributes pour in for a giant who gave so much to the game he loved

- ANDY LINES

THRILL In Mexico for 1986 World Cup

KITTED out in his sheepskin coat, with microphone in hand, the man known simply as the "voice of football" guided us through some of the game's greatest matches and life's finest moments.

Sadly, that iconic, passionate voice has been stilled, after legendary commentator John Motson died in his sleep yesterday at the age of 77.

Fellow commentator Jim Rosenthal summed up the loss and his legacy: "Motty was 'king of the football mic.

Prince William called him a "legend whose voice was football".

Motty loved the game so much that when he appeared on Desert Island Discs in 2018 his top songs included Three Lions, by David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, and the traditional FA Cup final hymn Abide with Me.

As news of his passing broke there was an outpouring of love for the devoted family man who had been married to his beloved Anne for 46 years.

She kept scrapbooks on his career and the man who loved statistics so much lovingly nicknamed her "Ultimate Statto".

His first game was Everton versus Derby County on radio in 1969 and his last game was Crystal Palace versus West Brom on TV in 2018, 49 years later.

And the figures behind his career are simply incredible.

In all, Motty covered around 2,500 matches, which included 20 international tournaments, 200 England matches and 29 FA Cup finals.

His love of the game was such that this month he was photographed at Sutton United's 0-0 draw with Stevenage at their Gander Green ground.

Not Going Out star Tim Vine, who sat next to him, said: "I remember a moment of goalmouth action and on my right I heard, ohh'. The classic Motty exclamation. Made me beam with joy. To my generation he was the voice of football." But the man once voted our favourite commentator said he knew when it was time to quit and keep his legacy intact.