This is not off-side (Match of the Day)

Member Name: kelly10

Product:	Match of the Day
Date:	11/10/08 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can watch Gary Lineker, my hero

Disadvantages: Don't always feature the match I want to see

Match Of The Day is the BBC One programme about football. They show matches from the top league, The Premiership, but before 1992 and the start of The Premiership, it showed the First Division matches. It also appears in two other guises, Match Of The Day FA Cup and Match Of The Day Live for International matches both friendly and World Cup/European Championship.
Now rather then explain the programme to you because I think most will know what it is all about, I will give you a few facts about the show. I just hope that there will be a few facts that are new to some of you. Here goes.

The first edition of Match of the Day was shown on BBC2 at 6:30pm on 22 August 1964. It showed only one match, highlights of the First Division game between Liverpool and Arsenal, which Liverpool won 3-2. As BBC2 was available only in the London area at this time, the viewing audience was estimated at only 20,000

Match of the Day primarily screened First Division matches under the BBC's initial contract with The Football League, they also had to show three Second Division games per season. The following year it also extended its coverage to Third Division matches, and also started showing highlights of FA Cup matches. Also in its first season/series, Match of the Day screened a Fourth Division match between Oxford United and Tranmere Rovers.

The first colour edition of Match of the Day was shown on November 15, 1969, between Liverpool and West Ham United

Match of the Day was not universally welcomed in the footballing world. In 1965 several clubs attempted to block a renewed deal with the BBC as they feared a drop in gate attendances at matches. A compromise was reached where the BBC agreed not to reveal which match was to be shown until after the day's play had ended. This arrangement was in place until 1983

The Goal of the Month and Goal of the Season competitions debuted in 1970.

The show moved to BBC1 in 1983 but would still occasionally in later years show highlights of FA Cup matches on BBC2.


The final Fourth Division game to be shown was between Blackpool and York City on February 4, 1984. Coverage of the Second and Third Divisions slowly dwindled down until it was finally dropped in 1986.

Presenters of the show in order of appearance:
Kenneth Wolstenholme,
Jimmy Hill,
Des Lynam,
Gary Lineker

Des Lynam was a commentator before taking over the hotseat from Jimmy Hill.

They is also a website which is about football of all leagues and worlds and therefore is a very comprehensive encylopidia of football.

Before anyone says 'but you missed out such and such a thing' I know I have missed many things out and just picked a few as otherwise the review would run into thousands of words and would probably put people of reading.

Hope you enjoyed reading.

Summary: A football programme for football fans