Match of the Day ace John Motson remembers fondly Hereford United against Newcastle United in the FA Cup (From Hereford Times)

Match of the Day ace John Motson remembers fondly Hereford United against Newcastle United in the FA Cup

2:00pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in Local By Ian Morgan

FOOTBALL commentator John Motson never tires of talking about the famous goal which launched his broadcasting career.

The 66-year-old will be returning to Edgar Street this weekend to celebrate the match which put Hereford United on the footballing map.

“It was a massive turning point in my life and it came about by chance,” said Motson, who will be arriving in the city tomorrow (Friday).

“It was my first season on Match of the Day and I was very much the junior behind established people like David Coleman and Barry Davies,” he recalled.

“I was third in the ranks that day and it would have been highly unusual for me to have featured in the main game.

“Hereford’s win over Newcastle was one of the biggest FA Cup shocks then and people still talk about it 40 years on.”

Motson said Hereford’s FA Cup third-round replay against Newcastle United on February 5, 1972 was expected to be a five-minute segment on Match of the Day.

But Ronnie Radford’s rocket and an extra-time goal from Motson’s pal Ricky George gave Hereford a famous 2-1 win.

The parka-clad pitch invasion has become synonymous with Hereford and it was the main featured game on the show. It launched Motson's broadcasting career.

“The match was played on the day of the fourth round but was a third round replay,” said Motson.

“I came down to Hereford on the Friday with Ricky George, who was a personal friend, and Billy Meadows.

“Everyone knows what happened but I never get tired of talking about the match – it was the big break in my career.

“The game gets spoken about more often when the date comes around each year and, of course, television rolls out the footage of the goal from Ronnie Radford.”

Motson will be returning to Hereford with his wife. “I understand there’s some sort of reception at the mayor’s parlour on the Friday and then a gala dinner on the Saturday,” he said.

“I will be at the game on Saturday and I think the plan is for the players to go on to the pitch at half-time. I don’t think I will go on to the pitch, though.

“There have been other reunions in the past but 40 years is a special landmark.”

He added: “I covered Arsenal against Blackburn for Match of the Day last Saturday but I won’t be covering a game this weekend because I will be in Hereford.”