FOOTBALL commentators - we either love 'em or loathe 'em.

From the anoraks' favourite John Motson to the real doyen of the commentary box, Martin Tyler, everyone seems to have an opinion of this ubiquitous breed.

At the weekend, both football and television decided to pay tribute to "Motty" to mark his 25 years with BBC's Match of the Day programme which, in my humble opinion, remains number one among soccer shows.

Even though Sky have added several dimensions to general coverage. Motson was the latest victim of half-an-hour's cringing as the big red book came out and Michael Aspel told him: "This is Your Life."

And he was also handed the Carling Number One award for outstanding services to football!

No wonder he looked a little embarrassed by the fuss about a life that seemed as relatively mundane - when exposed to half an hour's TV glare - as it is for the vast majority of folk.

If commentating for 25 years deserves such accolades, what about the legions of folk who really have served the game and often without the pay and privileges accorded to such a position?

Not that I'm knocking Motson, it's just that I'm not a fan of his style.

The way we have to hang on a minute while he digs out yet another totally irrelevant fact about the Town centre back's brother-in-law's grandmother.

Maybe we've just seen too much of him.

Besides, compared to the man who seems to have taken his throne - Barry Davies - Motson is certainly the lesser of two evils. I call Davies "The Preacher", because that's how he comes across every Saturday night.

Basically, I have always found Motson a nice, unassuming man.

Once I recall, he asked the Lancashire Evening Telegraph to set the record straight, after he said his views on Blackburn Rovers had been misrepresented by a national newspaper.

And he's always been accessible.

Another TV man, Gary Newbon - yes, that's right, the one who used to have us squirming with the embarrassing questions - is owed a debt of gratitude by yours truly.

He rescued me from an unknown fate, in danger of freezing to death outside Spartak Moscow's Luhzniki Stadium while attempting to find a taxi in what seemed the least likely area of that intimidating city.

Newbon came up with the goods, so he's fine by me. So too is Alan Parry.

But it was interesting last week to note that Ray Harford made his players watch the Arsenal video with no sound or commentary, because of the influence it can have.

And commentators and those TV "experts" DO make a difference to people's opinions.

Well, some of them do. Alan Hansen is top man in my book, making the likes of Gary Lineker and, especially, Trevor Brooking look non-League by comparison.

Tyler does a great job to offset Andy Gray on Sky and the BBC Radio Five Live team are first class.

Alan Green's enthusiasm for the game is infectious and Mike Ingham the thorough professional.

I doubt any of the Five Live boys will be appearing on This is Your Life but maybe that's the secret to their success.

They stay well away from those all-seeing TV cameras that can be a personality's worst enemy, as well as his best friend.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.