Clive Tyldesley
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Clive Tyldesley is an English sports commentator, who since 1998 has been the main football commentator for ITV. He has commentated on eleven Champions League finals and numerous World Cup and European Championship matches.
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[edit] Career
Tyldesley was born in Lancashire and was educated at Kirkham Grammar School. He began his career in local radio in Nottingham before joining Liverpool's Radio City in 1977. After succeeding Elton Welsby as sports editor, he began commentating during a highly successful era for Liverpool F.C. in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He also covered Everton F.C.'s rise to prominence in the mid-1980s. Tyldesley was on-air at the scene of the Heysel disaster during the 1985 European Cup Final.[citation needed]
He also broadcast extensively during the aftermath of the Hillsborough, although he was not present on the day. Throughout his time he also commentated on other events such as rugby league, the Grand National and even the Pope John Paul II's visit to Liverpool. Despite this, Tyldesley is ridiculed for his apparent love of Manchester United. During the Euro 2008 Championships, a national game "Clive-Watch" developed in which punters had to guess the minute in which Tyldesley would first mention the Red Devils.[citation needed] He has also been dubbed by many as the "Old Trafford announcer".[citation needed]
[edit] ITV (1989-1992)
He joined North West England ITV company Granada full-time in 1989 after co-hosting their 'Sportsweek' programmes when at Radio City. He was selected as part of ITV's broadcasting team at the 1990 World Cup as the fifth man behind Brian Moore, Alan Parry, John Helm and Gerry Harrison and covered his first live game for ITV the following year - a European Cup Winners Cup match between Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and FC Porto.
[edit] BBC (1992-1996)
Tyldesley joined the BBC as they obtained highlights rights for the new Premier League in 1992. For four years he worked as a commentator on Match of the Day and Sportsnight. Despite proving himself as an accomplished performer, he was unable to dislodge John Motson and Barry Davies and only covered four live matches in his entire time there. These were two matches at the 1994 World Cup, one at Euro 96 and an FA Cup tie between Sheffield United F.C. and Aston Villa F.C.. After being consigned to basketball at the 1996 Olympics, he left the BBC.[citation needed]
[edit] Return to ITV (1996-present day)
He returned to ITV in September 1996 as a straight replacement for Alan Parry and his first match back was a UEFA Cup tie between Arsenal F.C. and Borussia Monchengladbach. Although Tyldesley was behind the veteran Brian Moore in the pecking order, it did afford him greater opportunities for live football with the UEFA Champions League, FA Cup and Football League matches on offer.[citation needed] He started commentating on major finals, the first being the 1997 League Cup followed by the 1998 Champions League final. After the 1998 World Cup Moore retired and Tyldesley became ITV's senior commentator. Since then, he has commentated on every Champions League final since 1998. His commentary of Manchester United's second goal of the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final ("Is this their moment? Beckham... into Sheringham... and Solskjær has won it!") has become famous among Manchester United fans.[citation needed] His commentary notes for that game can be seen in the Old Trafford museum.[citation needed] He is also remembered for his commentary during Liverpool's 2005 UEFA Champions League Final, after Steven Gerrard had scored what many thought was no more than a consolation in reducing the deficit to 1-3. He also led ITV's commentating teams at the European Football Championships of 2000, 2004 and 2008 and the World Cups of 2002 and 2006.
[edit] Computer games
Tyldesley and Andy Gray provide commentary in the four most recent versions of EA Sports' football video games: FIFA 06, FIFA 07, FIFA 08, and FIFA 09 (PC, Nintendo DS, Wii and PlayStation 2 only; he's replaced by Martin Tyler for other consoles). Tyldesley is also heard in another of EA's football games, 2006 FIFA World Cup. He is also present in Euro 2008 and UEFA Champions League 2004-2005 and 2006-2007 along with Andy Townsend. He also provided commentary for Championship Manager 2, the last in the franchise to feature verbal analysis.
[edit] Other Work
Tyldesley also writes a column for the Daily Telegraph which is reproduced online at Telegraph.co.uk.
In 2008, Tyldesley delivered a lecture about the history of sport in Liverpool particularly football where he talked about the Heysel and Hillsborough tragedies with great regret as well as the good times in football in the city.[citation needed]
