BARRY DAVIES

Last updated : 24 September 2004 By editor

For those of a certain age Barry Davies is very much part of your football heritage but he has become increasingly marginalised by the Beeb and he is not happy with just playing a bit part so he has decided to retire after doing City v Arsenal this Saturday.

He muses through some of his fondest memories in an interview with The Torygraph:

"With that second goal, Maradona did one pirouette that sent three English players off to different corner flags. Maradona in that tournament completely disproved the theory that one man cannot make a team. He carried Argentina to the final. I have been lucky to watch special players like Johan Cruyff and Glenn Hoddle. George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton were also special.

"Denis was so exciting; the way he leapt into the air was amazing. Charlton had those shooting boots. And as for George, I remember commentating on one game at Nottingham Forest, when George was over-doing it. He was going around the full-back for a second time, which I said would make his chance of scoring more difficult. The next second the ball was in the net!

"I lost my voice when Franny Lee went back to Manchester City with Derby County. My voice actually went falsetto briefly! I saw that Franny was shaping to shoot so I said 'interesting'. Then it hit the back of the net so I went 'very interesting'. Then I said, 'Look at his face, just look at his face'. It was so exciting I lost my voice!" That voice is now lost to Match of the Day.'