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Quickly Kevin; will he score? The 90s Football Show
Quickly Kevin; will he score? The 90s Football Show

Mike Ingham - Part 2 (QK Reloaded)

August 12, 2026 • 51m

Summary

⏱️ 8 min read

Overview

BBC Radio Five Live's Chief Football Correspondent Mike Ingham reflects on his broadcasting career from the 1980s through the 1990s, sharing intimate stories about working at the BBC, meeting legendary football figures like Bobby Robson and John Peel, and the evolution of football journalism. He discusses the challenges and privileges of radio commentary, memorable tournaments including Italia 90 and Euro 88, and the stark contrast between media access then and now.

Early Days at the BBC Sports Desk

Mike Ingham describes his arrival at BBC Sports in the early 1980s, where he worked alongside broadcasting legends like Desmond Lyon, Peter Jones, and Christopher Martin Jenkins. The BBC sports room was a tight-knit family environment full of pranksters, particularly Peter Bradley who would phone up pretending to be famous athletes. One memorable incident involved Bradley impersonating Colin Cowdrey, leading to an embarrassing mix-up that exemplified the camaraderie of the era.

  • BBC sports desk required newcomers to do overnight shifts and sleep in a haunted building
  • John Peel would come through at 9:30am to get football results off the teleprinter
  • The sports room featured legends like Desmond Lyon, Peter Jones, and Jim Rosenthal
  • Peter Bradley was a notorious prankster who did voices for Spitting Image and would call pretending to be famous athletes
" I was just getting into my little car and I was sort of maneuvering my way out of the car park and suddenly I heard this tapping on the window. And there he was, the new England manager. And he wound my window down and he said, so don't forget, son, third exit, not the second. "

The Golden Age of Football Access

Ingham reflects on an era before Sky TV when radio journalists enjoyed unprecedented access to football managers and players. Growing up in the 1950s, managers cherished radio and understood its value, with dressing rooms regularly tuning into sports reports. This golden age of access stood in stark contrast to the modern era where radio has become marginalized and journalists compete with 16 microphones for a single interview.

  • Pre-Sky TV era saw excellent access to managers and players who valued radio
  • All dressing rooms would have sports reports on during Saturday matches
  • Television's advent marginalized radio, reducing journalists' access significantly
  • Modern interviews involve competing with 16 microphones instead of having managers to yourself
" Whereas in the old days, after a game, you would have had someone like Jose Mourinho to yourself for a radio interview. Now you're sort of one of 16 microphones, you know. "

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