QA: Barry Davies

“You have to say that’s magnificent”. Was Diego Maradona’s famous goal against England in 1986 the best you have seen?

Without a shadow of a doubt. It was a special day and a very special match.

Ten World Cups, seven European Championships, 12 European Cup finals — what was the best game you commentated on?

The 1966 World Cup went by in a bit of a blur because it was my first one. It may come as a surprise but I even enjoyed the 1990 finals in Italy because the atmosphere was so special but if I had to pick one game, it would have to be the 1977 European Cup final in Rome. Liverpool 3 Borussia Mönchengladbach 1. It couldn’t be beaten until Istanbul in 2005.

And the worst?

Heysel, 1985. I went to commentate on a football match and I had to describe a tragedy. Bobby Charlton was sitting next to me and we were very conscious that there were people watching who had relatives at the game. The Juventus goal was never a penalty but I didn’t want Liverpool to equalise. I didn’t want extra time. It was an accident waiting to happen.

You’ve stopped commentating on football. Do you miss being in the gantry at 3pm on Saturdays?

People get the impression that I’ve retired, but I just decided not to accept a new contract with Match of the Day. I’ve carried on working and I’m still commentating on tennis and skating and hockey and I’ve also written a book, Interesting, Very Interesting.

What do you make of the internet campaign to get you back on Match of the Day?

It is very flattering and very warming but I don’t think there’s much chance of it happening. I wouldn’t mind a guest appearance, but the style of commentary has changed a great deal. The difference between radio and TV commentary has become very blurred, although I have absolutely nothing against the current crop. I always thought that the role of the commentator was to add words to the pictures offered.

How are you getting on with John Motson these days?

Oh, that’s just newspaper talk. We were rivals but there was never any problems between us. Somebody had to make a choice of who would commentate on the Cup Final and more often than not it would be John. That’s not a problem. We couldn’t sit on each other’s laps.

Interview by Kaveh Solhekol