IAN CROCKER has been the voice of Scottish football for the last 20 years. But the Englishman’s commentary will be replayed for decades to come. Sky Sports commentator Ian Crocker speaks exclusively to SunSport Online The Sky Sports presenter is one of the most respected commentators in the business. From explosive Old Firm derbies, to historical Scottish Cup Finals, Crocks has covered it all. In part one of an exclusive interview with SunSport Online, we find out more about the man behind the mic as he looks back at a rollercoaster 20 years in Scottish football. When did you start commentating on Scottish football? Ian Crocker and sidekick Andy WalkerKenneth Ramsay (Photography) Limited, Trochrague, 78 Newark Street, Greenock PA16 7TF “I first started 20 years ago when the SPL was formed in 1998. “My first game was Hearts versus Rangers at Tynecastle and I had Ally McCoist next to me in the gantry. It finished 2-1 to Hearts. “That’s 20 years doing it now, on and off because I went to the BBC for a bit. Time flies by. “I actually covered a game for Grampian Television in the Aberdeen play-off against Dunfermline in 1995 – that was even longer. But yeah, it’s been enjoyable.” You’ve watched some magnificent players grace our game over the years. Who do you regard as the best? “People will say I’m a Celtic fan now, but I think you would have to say Henrik Larsson was a standout. “I mean Rangers had some magnificent players at that time as well but Larsson was just in a different league. “The fact that he stayed in Scotland for seven years, when really he could have gone to wherever he wanted to play, as he eventually did with some other top clubs in Europe. Henrik Larsson is one of the greatest ever players to play in ScotlandNews Group Newspapers Ltd “He genuinely did enjoy his time at Celtic and loved being the main man. So I think over the 20 years, it would be hard to not pick Henrik Larsson as the singular standout player. “But there’s been a lot of good ones. I find it encouraging that there does seem to be a fair few young players coming through, like Kieran Tierney and John McGinn, and Cammy Kerr who I’ve watched at Dundee. “I like watching the young players, I think it’s a case when you get older you want to follow their career path and see where it takes them.” What’s your favourite game to have covered? The 12 goal thriller at Fir Park sticks out for CrockerPA:Press Association “The 6-6 game takes some beating between Motherwell and Hibs. “It was an extraordinary night in 2010 when Motherwell were 6-2 down and came back and missed a penalty at 5-6. “Lukas Jutkiewicz scored that dramatic goal in stoppage time, those sort of games will never come along again in our life time so that was extraordinary. “The Hibs final was obviously one heck of a story. It was good to be a commentator who got to see Hibs winning the Scottish Cup. “It’s something I fancied doing in my life time, with apologies to Rangers at the time! But that was good. There’s been a lot of good games, more than people think.” What’s the best atmosphere you’ve experienced in Scotland? “I think there’s some good atmospheres in most grounds in Scotland. “Tynecastle is brilliant. Easter Road and Pittodrie are both good. There’s many a stadium where the fans are always up for it so you know you’re going to get a good atmosphere. “But as far as atmospheres go I don’t think you can quite touch the sense of the unique occasion that is an Old Firm game.” You’ve covered countless Glasgow derbies. What’s the most memorable one that sticks out? Crocks has covered some highly-charged derby gamesReuters “There’s been many an Old Firm game. I’ve done about 50 of those. The two that stand out would be the 6-2 game in Martin O’Neill’s first season in charge. “They were 3-0 up within 11 and a half minutes if I remember correctly. Henrik Larsson’s chip and all that. “The 2002 Scottish Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic… fantastic game, amazing ending when Peter Lovenkrands scored.” “That is sensational!” It’s an iconic quote for Celtic fans. Do they still ask you about it to this day? “Fans still come up to me these days. I did some interviews at Celtic’s player of the year night a couple of years back and a lot of fans still came up and quoted the line. “It’s very humbling and I’m glad they enjoyed it because it means you called it right at the time! Henrik Larsson’s spectacular chip will always be remembered by Celtic fansNews Group Newspapers Ltd “But there wasn’t much else to say about Henrik’s chip that day because it was just pure world class. “It was 18 years ago now which is quite frightening so maybe I’ll need to get a new line!” “Is there going to be a twist in the tale? Lovenkrands… yes there is!” This line will live long in the memory of Rangers fans. Do they regularly mention it? “A few of them do. I got lucky that day. I probably used that line before, ‘Is there going to be a twist in the tale’ in a few games and it happens. “On that day, Neil McCann put the cross in and Peter Lovenkrands was there to meet it in what was an extraordinary end to a captivating cup tie. “It’s good when the lines like that come off and it’s even better when people remember them. Peter Lovenkrands bags the Scottish Cup winning goal in 2002News Group Newspapers Ltd “But it is your job to come up with a line that hopefully will go down and history and people like and people take to. “As I say, it’s quite humbling and almost embarrassing when people shout them at you in the streets!” What’s your most memorable Edinburgh derby? “The 6-2 game, which was the same season as the 6-2 game in Glasgow. “A great occasion, obviously not for Hearts! “Russell Latapy’s goal was obviously the standout, so much so that people forget that Mixu scored a hat-trick in that game, so he’s a bit unlucky there!” RELATED STORIES GAME CHANGER Ibrox WILL be included in PES 2019 as Rangers join Celtic as premium partners Tic tat Leigh Griffiths shows off new tattoo of his kids as he steps up injury return PADDY WHACK Patrick Roberts refuses to rule out stunning return to Celtic Eur out Celtic decide not to appeal Simunovic’s red card as Griffiths steps up comeback WAGGIE’S OFF Rangers set for cash windfall as Waghorn closes in on £7m Middlesbrough move HOME-BOUND Hibs set to miss out on Jamie Maclaren as he heads back to Australia “It’s Liam Henderson to deliver… David Gray has scored! The captain! Hibs are standing on the brink of history!” Your voice is marked on a piece of Hibs history after that famous Scottish Cup Final win. What was it like that day? “It was a brilliant cup final. I had a feeling that Hibs might do it. I did a piece in the matchday programme before the game saying that after 104 years, why not today? I just had this feeling. “When Hibs came back from 2-0 down at Hearts in the first cup tie before the replay, I remember saying to Luke Shanley, ‘This is the way that these sort of runs go’. “So with apologies to Rangers again, I took Hibs to do it but I didn’t think they’d do it in such dramatic circumstances. “As the game went on I was starting to think about a line, and when it got to 2-2 I was thinking, ‘Crickey!’. “You know, you can have an idea about what you’re going to say but sometimes what you think was going to happen doesn’t happen. David Gray’s header ended 114 year Scottish Cup hoodooGetty Images - Getty “I thought about a line that they were ‘standing on the brink of history’ – which I did use – but the rest of it was just kind of as it happened. “So it was just one of those ones where it came off and I know people have got ringtones with it on and all that sort of stuff so as I say it’s all very humbling.” I know you’re a Hammer through and through… but surely you must have adopted a favourite Scottish team by now? “No, I can honestly say that I haven’t! I was born in Dorset, a seaside resort. I moved to London when I was young and then got a job at West Ham. “It was always West Ham for me. Even when I came to Scotland, nobody believes me when I say I am mutual, but I seriously am. “So I like Rangers AND Celtic… and EVERYONE else. Yeah, people are going to say you’re biased. It’s usually the losing team that will claim bias. “You kind of get used to it. It’s part of the territory, part of the banter, part of the fun!” **Ian Crocker delivers his SPFL predictions in part two of our exclusive interview tomorrow** Keep up to date with ALL the latest news, transfers and goals from Scottish football plus fixtures, results and live match commentary
Source: Scottish Sun, News
Source: Scottish Sun, News
