The Commentators’ View: FA Cup fever & fox in the box

John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball talk football, travel & language. What’s it like commentating on an FA Cup Final? Ali reveals more about last week’s Arctic expedition. The guys have their say on Goodison Park dodging the wrecking ball. Is the commentator’s blessing now a thing? Clash of the Commentators does stadia and which terms will be added to the Great Glossary of Football Commentary?

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01:00 Commentating on the FA Cup Final

08:00 Ali’s Arctic expedition

14:00 John disappointed by guard of honour ‘disrespect’

18:00 Nothing beats a Norwegian romance

19:25 Goodison Park lives to fight another day

23:55 5 Live commentaries this weekend

27:30 Is the ‘commentator’s blessing’ now a thing?

31:15 Clash of the Commentators

39:35 Great Glossary of Football Commentary

BBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries next weekend:

Sat 1630 FA Cup Final Crystal Palace v Man City on 5 Live

Sun 1330 Women’s FA Cup Final Chelsea v Man Utd on Sports Extra 3,

Sun 1415 West Ham v Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on 5 Live,

Sun 1500 Brentford v Fulham in the Premier League on Sports Extra 2,

Sun 1630 Arsenal v Newcastle in the Premier League on 5 Live.

Glossary so far:

2-0 is a dangerous score,

After you Claude,

All-Premier League affair,

Aplomb,

Brace,

Brandished,

Breaking the deadlock,

Champions elect / champions apparent,

Clinical finish,

Commentator’s curse,

Coupon buster,

Cultured/Educated left foot,

Denied by the woodwork,

Draught excluder,

Elimination line,

Fellow countryman,

Foot race,

Formerly of this parish,

Fox in the box,

Free hit,

Good touch for a big man,

Honeymoon Period,

In and around,

In the shop window,

Languishing,

Loitering with intent,

Marching orders,

Nestle in the bottom corner,

Numbered derbies,

Nutmeg,

Opening their account,

Opposite number,

Park the bus,

PK for penalty-kick,

Postage stamp,

Rasping shot,

Red wine not white wine,

Relegation six-pointer,

Rooted at the bottom,

Roy of the Rovers stuff,

Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way,

Sleeping giants,

Slide rule pass,

Small matter of,

Spiders web,

Stayed hit,

Steepling,

Stinging the palms,

Stonewall penalty,

Straight off the training ground,

Stramash,

Struck with venom,

Throw their cap on it,

Turning into a basketball match,

Turning into a cricket score,

Walking a disciplinary tightrope,

Wand of a left foot,

We’ve got a cup tie on our hands,

Where the owl sleeps,

Wrap foot around it,

Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.