Dave Bracegirdle

 

Whichever way you spin it (no pun intended), Dave Bracegirdle has had a rather enviable past few decades in sports journalism. His career took off with a lucky break at Italia ’90 and has taken him to the heights (literally) of Trent Bridge, the hallowed halls of the Sky Sports studios, and - the highest of honours - commentating alongside darts legend Tony Green! Undoubtedly one of Nottinghamshire sport’s most famous voices, Dave took time out from working on his latest book to talk to Mike Reynolds.

 

 

How did you first get into local radio / sports broadcasting?

Every single broadcaster or commentator you speak to will have a different story and on the way along the line there’ll be an element of luck, something that’s changed the course of your career. Mine involves being a translator at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, being asked to write some articles for Wembley programmes and then getting a full-time job at Barnet football club in the early ’90s, and from there, local radio in London. I then moved up here, did some more radio work, and ultimately got the job at Sky Sports.

 

So you speak another language then?

Yeah, I was actually based in Italy with the RAF and I’d been there 3 or 4 years in the build-up to the World Cup and I just sort of offered my services as a bit of a throw-out, and I ended up translating for them in the first half of the tournament.

 

It wasn't something you've always pursued then, you just kind of fell into it by chance?

Yeah, like I said, it’s evolved a little bit into sort of doing what I do today, which is essentially covering football  for Sky Sports and cricket for BBC Radio Nottingham, with extra little bits in between. I write for a few football programmes, including Forest, a few cricket magazines, and then do a few books. I was always madly passionate-keen on football and cricket. I did actually have the desire to become a football journalist but it took a while to evolve and didn’t necessarily come about deliberately. 

 

Are there any other sports you’ve dabbled with? Do you follow Nottingham Rugby or Panthers, for instance?

No, not Nottingham-wise. I’ve never seen a game of ice hockey in my life and I’ve not seen Nottingham Rugby. I have done rugby commentaries: ten, twelve years ago I actually covered Sheffield Eagles (rugby league), when they played at the Don Valley stadium, for Hallam FM. So, I have covered rugby but, to be perfectly honest, it’s work; if it’s the only work going… I’m not a rugby fan. I did used to do the darts commentary on Setanta Sports with Tony Green before they crashed. 

 

Do you think the city’s sporting heritage is strong? Put it another way: are we punching above or below our weight, would you say?

I think Nottingham’s always been able to hold its own as a leading sporting city. Despite their ups and downs, Forest are traditionally one of our great football clubs and nobody will ever be able to take away that they were twice European champions. It’s going to be there in the record books for ever. It’s still two more than Chelsea and Arsenal! Forest were FA Cup winners and early pioneers in the nineteenth century and Notts County were as well. The cricket team: again, legendary. Since the onset of the County Championship, Notts have been one of the foremost counties. In other sports, Nottingham have got Carl Froch, another world champion; the snooker guys, Holt and Hamilton; Lee Westwood, current world number two [golfer]. If there are any Nottinghamshire guys in any sport, I’ll follow their progress.

 

What do you think of Nottingham as a city? Where do you like a drink and bite to eat in town?

I’m a Newark lad, so I don’t know Nottingham as well as the people who live there. Two or three years ago I did a book called Nottingham from the Air with my brother [Ian], who’s a pilot and an aerial photographer. He spent time flying over the city taking thousands of photographs, then I researched them and put a book together. That sort of improved my knowledge of Nottingham, not in the sense of knowing where to go to eat and drink, but certainly, in terms of its history, it was a very beneficial project. In terms of where I like to go for a drink, generally I’m either at Forest or County or the cricket ground, so the bars around there, like the Southbank, are handy. If there’s a screen on with sports on and you can get a beer, then that'll do for me!

 

What are the city’s sports supporters like, in your view – pretty fair-minded, a bit too demanding and unrealistic, pessimistic, optimistic?

I think the first one, pretty fair-minded, is just about right. They seem to be fairly tolerant. I guess its a generalisation but I think, with most places, if supporters see that the players they’ve paid to go and watch are giving their all then they will generally turn a blind eye to a few indifferent results. But if the effort’s not there then the Nottinghamshire supporters, the same as anywhere else, will let it be known. That was part of the recent thing with McClaren: whether the players were trying or not. It obviously came across to the fans that this isn’t happening as it should, and something had to change.

 

What's your history with Nottingham Forest? Can you remember when you first became a fan?

My first game was 15 October 1966: Nottingham Forest 1, Liverpool 1. Joe Baker scored the first goal I ever saw in a Forest shirt. It’s difficult being a football journalist – as I have been for the last 20 years – to always get to see them. At the moment I’m on quite a good run and I’ll be there tomorrow [Forest 0-1 Hull] but sometimes I go absolutely weeks, if not months, without seeing them because I’m sent to cover Accrington versus Morecambe, or Coventry versus Crystal Palace, or bloody Brighton versus whoever! So, it is difficult sometimes to be the absolute die-hard fan you should be, and for that reason I have a vested interest in all the local clubs and follow them all. 

 

As a fan yourself, who have been your favourite Notts cricketers down the years?

I first started going just when Gary Sobers was making his way. He joined Notts in 1968 and I was 10 then; I became interested as he was the world superstar at the time, and he was the first hero. Then Derek Randall was the next one, and that sort of went on into the Richard Hadlee era, who was absolutely superb. There have been many players before and since, but if I had to pick out three it’d be Sobers, Randall, and Hadlee.

 

And if you had to pick three Forest names, who would you go for?

Again late ‘60s was the time I started going and Ian Storey-Moore was the pin-up boy, the flying left-winger who got lots of goals and had a trick or two. Every time he got the ball, he got the fans out of their seats; you were never quite sure what would happen. My other two wouldn’t necessarily be other people’s choices because they weren’t there long, but I would say Duncan McKenzie and Stan Collymore. McKenzie was just – on his day – absolutely amazing and it says so much about the England selectors at the time that he never actually played for England. In any recent era he would have 80 or 90 caps as he was a sensational footballer. And Collymore had the one season at Forest when he scored 30-odd goals. I saw a lot of that season where it was just 'Get the ball to Collymore', and he’d stick it in the net whether it was from two yards out or thirty.

 

And which opposition footballers have captured your imagination?

I just like seeing any great sportsman in action, you know. I do see an awful a lot of routine, run-of-the-mill matches, so it is nice to see a great sportsman. Obviously I’ve gone through an age where England were the best team in the world, when I first started watching football, to where we are now. My favourite player of all time is Diego Maradona, who I saw play probably eight or ten times and did briefly interview once in Italian, and who was, predictably, a bit of a character. Another one was the Italian, Franco Baresi; he was a phenomenal player. There’s something about the way the game is coached overseas, with the skill factor instead of the ‘Kick it into row Z’ mentality we have over here. It’s not the same in other countries. They’re taught to play their way out of trouble, and Baresi, I think, typified that.

 

You’ve written a book about Forest legends. Any plans to do something similar for Notts CCC?

I’m doing one at the moment, On This Day, which covers all 366 days of the year, obviously. But it’s not just a case of “3 February: Paul Franks was born on this day in 1979”. It would also include his career stats and his outstanding performances. It does go all the way back into the 19th century, so it is a little bit of a history book. And that’s going to be out in April. 

Bracegirdle at Wembley

 

Well, first of all, I think Chris Read, but then I’m forgetting Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad – because, of course, although they hardly play for Notts, they are Nottinghamshire players. Samit (Patel), in the current team, is one of my favourites. He’s doing well. And Andre Adams: he’s the player of the moment and been Player of the Year for the past two years. Of course, Alex Hales has just burst through and he could be an outstanding cricketer. There are a number of high-quality players at Trent Bridge at the moment who I think history will look back on as being the best of their generation. 

 

What was your take on the Notts CCC season this year? LeftLion interviewed Chris Read and Mick Newell, who gave us their marks for the season. Tell me if you agree with either of them. If not, give me your verdict:

 

 

Championship – C. I was hugely frustrated last year because there were a few games where we should have done better and we were only a couple of wins away, really, from being in the top three, if not challenging to defend it. I certainly think that Notts had a side that should have been able to make a sterner defence of their title and having won the first three games and got themselves in a good position, they then fall away mid-season when they lost four on the trot. A little bit of concentration and some better form and they could have done better.

 

Twenty20 – B. They won the Northern Group and, again, they were a little unlucky in that they drew Somerset at Trent Bridge in the quarter-final. I think had they beaten Somerset they could have – and should have – gone on to win it. I do expect Notts, with the players they’ve got available, to reach the quarter-finals every year.

 

CB40 – C. Yes, the final result was that they were second in the group and only just missed out on qualification but the fact that they lost three of the first four matches meant that, all year, they virtually had no chance, bearing in mind they were in a group with Somerset and initially it was only the group leaders that would go through.

 

Overall Batting – C. Without Patel, Hales, and Adam Voges, the batting order would have been very ordinary. There’s going to be a few others that need to work hard over the winter on their technique and come back in better form next year.

 

Overall Bowling – B- . The key moments in big games – i.e. the Twenty20 quarter-final against Somerset – they were just found wanting a little bit. I though Darren Pattinson and Andre Adams were outstanding, Luke Fletcher’s come on absolute tons and tons, but the two England guys (Swann and Broad) didn’t really make an impact this year. They gave a couple of games to them early on and they were both games that Notts lost.

 

Overall fielding – B. Notts by and large are pretty good in the field.   

 

Predictions for next summer with the couple of signings they’ve made (Michael Lumb, Harry Gurney) and possibly James Taylor coming in, too?

I think [it’s difficult to predict] until we know which way they’re going to go with regards to getting James Taylor. And if not, are they going to go back to an overseas player? Because I don’t believe they’ll do both. I do think the First Division’s going to be a lot tougher next year, as Surrey and Middlesex have both got promoted and both are going to be a lot stronger than the two that went down (Yorkshire and Hampshire). So, if you think that, out of last year’s seven Division One teams, Notts were sixth, it’s certainly going to be a tough year. For CB40, Notts are in a strong group and I think they’ll use it to blood a few more youngsters, so I don’t really expect them to threaten qualification, although it’ll be completely the opposite for Twenty20. They’ll throw all their eggs in that basket and make a determined push to get through to the final next year.

 

Returning to football, your book on the legends of Nottingham Forest covers pretty much the entirety of the club’s history. How did you go about compiling such a comprehensive list?

Whatever sort of criteria you use to come up with the top 100 Forest players of all time, you are going to have a lot of Definites that are going to walk into it. I was probably able to get about 80 or so names very, very easily, just in terms of appearances, goals, England caps, etc., and some of it came down to personal choice.

 

I noticed that Kris Commons and Nigel Clough both made it on the list. Given that, since the book's publication, both have attained a certain degree of infamy amongst Forest fans, have you had any second thoughts about their ‘legendary’ status?

For me Clough should walk into it just in terms of appearances and goals, and the fact he was an England player for a time. At the time I was writing the book, Commons was a Forest player and he was the leading player of that team, so he was an obvious selection. Maybe I would still include him as a Forest legend, as he’s gone on to become an international footballer and he’s now won things at Celtic.

 

What is your take on events at the City Ground so far this season?

I was a big, big Billy Davies fan and I did feel that Forest were so close two seasons ago in the play-offs. But when you start getting into such a public disagreement with your bosses there’s only going to be one outcome. It obviously didn’t work out with Steve McClaren, but I am a big Cotterill fan. I first interviewed him when he was at Burnley and was very, very impressed with him and the passionate way he talks about football. I got to know him a little better when he was at Notts County and this week he must think I’m a bit of a stalker: I interviewed him at Coventry the day he was appointed, then again in the week at this press conference, and once more at Blackpool on Saturday, so he may think I’m a stalker already! 

 

Where do you think they’ll end up, come May?

I think there’ll be there or thereabouts, in the play-offs again.

 

You’ve also written books on the legends of Notts County and Mansfield Town. If you had to choose a Nottinghamshire Legends Dream Team, who are some of the names that would make it in from their respective clubs?

Because of the level they’ve played at, few Stags players would make it into an all-time Nottinghamshire XI, but that’s not to say that they haven’t had their own stars over the years. County, again, have almost had as rich a history as Forest – certainly not quite as many trophies, but you look at people like Les Bradd, Don Masson, Brian Stubbs, and back to the Tommy Lawton-Jackie Sewell era; they were outstanding players of their generation, but whether they would force their way into a Nottinghamshire Dream Team, I’m not sure. I suspect County fans would choose very few Forest players, but you just have to respect each individual club and their own great stars over the years. 

 

Going back to the broadcasting, and comparing the two sports, which ground is the most comfortable from a commentary point of view? I know at Trent Bridge you’re in Room 32 (not Room 101), right at the top of the Radcliffe Road Stand, which must be an awesome vantage point…

There’s no finer place in the world to watch sport than to be at Trent Bridge on a sunny day and Room 32 on the top floor is as good as it gets.

 

Have there been any major faux pas on air, perhaps accidentally swearing? Any gaffes? Any player’s names that were difficult to get your tongue around?

Cricket-wise, I always used to have an enormous problem saying the word “ten-ta-tive”. See how slowly I said that? I’m sure there are a thousand other words that could be used instead but for a while, when a batsman pushes forward tentatively, I’ll make a balls-up of it. There! In terms of football, recently I was covering a Bristol City game for Sky and three times Nicky Maynard came out “Mickey Naynard”, which delighted Jeff Stelling!

 

Have you ever had a dust-up (on- or off-air) with fellow commentators?

Not dust-ups, but the shared cricket commentaries I do for BBC Radio Nottingham inevitably sees me pitted with somebody from the opposing team. And as enthusiastic and as loyal a supporter of Notts as I am, they will be exactly the same towards their team. There’s been an awful lot of playful banter over the years: Kevin Howells of BBC Radio Five Live and Dave Callaghan, who covers all the Yorkshire games, are the best two and they will both bite at every opportunity, so I do enjoy a little wind-up when I’m sharing commentary with either of them.

 

Who have been your favourite interviewees down the years – the most quotable, say?

At the moment, certainly, the best two you look forward to are Ian Holloway and Nigel Adkins, who I interviewed quite a lot when he was at Scunthorpe and he was brilliant. When I was at Bloomfield Road last Saturday, I was chuffed to bits that Forest won [1-2] but the only downer was that Holloway was a little bit morose and subdued. If you get him on a good day he goes on talking about Margaret Thatcher and absolutely anything! 

 

Did you ever interview Brian Clough?

Yes, when I got into this business he was at the end of his stay, but the day that Cloughie said to me “I love you young man!” was one of my career highlights. I knew I’d made it once he’d said that! 

 

And who have been the least favourite interviewees – either because they were awkward and cantankerous (still good radio!), or perhaps because they were slightly dull and introverted (not good radio)?

He’s never really done me any harm, but I have seen young lads destroyed by Gordon Strachan, just by his sheer rudeness and the arrogant pomposity of the man. He’s not particularly liked by any of the media and he doesn’t like speaking to any of the media, so why he bothers doing it, I don’t know. There’s Sean O’Driscoll, who was boss of Bournemouth and Doncaster: nice man, but ever so quiet and just doesn’t give you anything in the interview. It is an enthusiastic game, it’s a passionate game, people  pay a lot of money to go and see it, and a lot of their week is spent either building up to a game or coming down from a high, or building themselves up again from a low, so I don’t like any manager or player who doesn’t show passion.   

 

After a good number of years covering these sports, do you still have the same passion for them as when you first started?

Yes, you’ve got to. As I said earlier, you could be covering Accrington versus Morecambe and in the grand scheme of things it’s not the biggest game in the world but I know if I’m doing that for Sky and there’s Accrington or Morecambe fans watching, this is the biggest game in the world for them and they want to hear somebody who’s enthusiastic about it.

 

Which sport do you prefer, deep down: football or cricket?

It would have to be cricket.

 

Who would be your fantasy co-commentators?

Can’t really think of a football one, but cricket wise it would be Bumble [David Lloyd]. He’s just so naturally funny. The other one who’s long since dead and buried is John Arlott, who was a legend of his profession.

 

Who would be your fantasy sporting interviewee?

I haven’t got anybody, really. It would just be the old clichés, like Muhammad Ali or Pelé. The things is, having a press pass and having been in the business for so long, anyone who’s any good and has been in England in the past twenty years I have gone and interviewed them, one way or another!

 

Any tips for the aspiring sports broadcaster?

Do your homework, know your stuff, be enthusiastic, and be professional.

 

Finally, how do you rate my interview technique?

Superb, Mike, superb. I’ve been doing exactly what you’re doing now and I would do it exactly the way you have. Just the job!