Kenneth Wolstenholme

Kenneth Wolstenholme
Kenneth Wolstenholme
Born	(1920-07-17)17 July 1920 Worsley,Lancashire,England
Died	25 March 2002(2002-03-25)(aged 81) Torquay,England
Nationality	British
Occupation(s)	Football commentator and presenter
Known for	Presenting:Match of the Day Football comment: "They think it's all over"
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	ActingSquadron leader
Awards	DFC & Bar

Kenneth Wolstenholme,DFC & Bar(17 July 1920 – 25 March 2002) was anEnglish football commentatorfor BBC television in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best remembered for his commentary during the1966 FIFA World Cup Final;in the closing minutes, Wolstenholme commented on a series ofpitch invadersasGeoff Hurstdribbled down the pitch before scoring, saying "some people are on the pitch,they think it's all over!"The phrase has become deeply embedded inBritish popular culture.As Hurst proceeded to score, Wolstenholme added: 'It is now!'

Early life

Wolstenholme was born inWorsley,Lancashire.His family werePrimitive Methodistsand his brother attendedElmfield College.He attendedFarnworth Grammar School,whereAlan Ball Jr.(on whom Wolstenholme commentated in the 1966 World Cup Final) was also a pupil some years later. Wolstenholme began his career as a journalist with a newspaper inManchester.

Military service

As Wolstenholme was a member of theRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reserve,he was sooncalled upat the outbreak of theSecond World War.By 1941, he had qualified as a bomber pilot and was posted to107 Squadron,flyingBristol BlenheimMk. IVs out ofRAF Great Massingham,Norfolk.At the start of 1943 he transferred tode Havilland Mosquitowith105 Squadron,part ofAir Vice-MarshalDon Bennett'sNo. 8 Group RAFPathfinderGroup.

Wolstenholme completed more than 100 highly hazardous sorties overOccupied Europeand in May 1944 was awarded theDFC.The following year, he won a Bar to his DFC for his continual bravery in raids on Germany in a period of exceptionally heavynight fighteractivity. He finished the war as an actingsquadron leader,having spent its last stages working in the RAF's public relations department.

Sports broadcasting

After the war, he became a freelance journalist, working forBBC Radiobefore moving to television in 1950. In 1955, he provided a location report from Salford for the BBC's coverage of that year's election night coverage.

He covered the1959 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship FinalbetweenKilkennyandWaterfordfor BBC Television, an experience which moved him to describehurlingas his second-favourite sport in the world after his first love, football.

In March 1954, Kenneth Wolstenholme and Barney Mulrenan co-commentated on the first football match to be broadcast on TV in Wales, South Wales Amateur Football League v the Worcestershire Football Combination from the Maindy Stadium in Cardiff

Wolstenholme commentated on manyEnglish domestic footballgames of the 1950s and 1960s, including the first ever game featured onMatch of the Dayin 1964. He covered theFA Cupfinal in 1951 and then every year from 1953 to 1971, the year ofArsenal's "double". For theBBChe commentated on the1960 European Cup FinalbetweenReal MadridandEintracht FrankfurtatHampden Park,widely regarded as one of the greatest football matches ever played. Real won the match 7-3 before a record European Cup Final crowd of 127,000, all their goals scored by Puskas and di Stefano.

"They think it's all over"

Wolstenholme's unscripted delivery in the closing moments of the1966 FIFA World Cup FinalatWembley Stadiumincluded fourteen words that are among the best known in British sport commentary.WithEnglandleading 3–2 againstWest Germany,a small pitch invasion took place during injury time just asGeoff Hurstscored to put England 4–2 ahead. The events prompted Wolstenholme to say:

Some people are on the pitch...they think it's all over... it is now!

"It is now" was added in an almost matter-of-fact way after Hurst had scored the goal. Since 1966, the phrase "they think it's all over" has become well known in modern English. Although unrehearsed, and spoken in the particular circumstances of the game, the words echoed to an extent those of German commentatorHerbert Zimmermann– "It's over! Over! Over! Germany are the World Champions" – when West Germany won the1954 World CupagainstHungary.

Later career

After the 1966 World Cup, Wolstenholme continued his broadcasting career in the UK and Europe. In 1967 he travelled to theEstádio NacionalinLisbonto coverCelticovercomingInternazionalein theEuropean Cup Final.A year later, he commentated atWembleyasManchester UniteddefeatedBenficato take the1968 European Cup.He was the BBC's main man at the1970 World Cupbut he almost took out an injunction when the BBC threatened to demote him in favour ofDavid Colemanif England reached the final. Wolstenholme commentated on the final betweenBrazilandItaly.He left the corporation in 1971 after Coleman was installed as the BBC's top commentator, his final BBC commentary being on the1971 European Cup FinalbetweenAjaxandPanathinaikosatWembley Stadium.

Wolstenholme later commentated forTyne Tees Televisionin the mid to late 1970s, but re-appeared on TV to provide reports and occasional features forChannel 4when they earned rights in the early 1990s to showSerie Agames fromItaly.He also took on an acting role, appearing in theBBC Radio 4comedyseriesLenin of the Roversin 1988 as football commentator Frank Lee Brian. In 1990, he was a guest star on the first episode of parody satellite television stationKYTVonBBC2.

Wolstenholme, who had been a supporter ofBolton Wandererssince childhood, was a guest of honour at the club's final game atBurnden Parkin April 1997. He also narrated the club'sEnd of an Eravideo which was released as part of Bolton's move from Burnden Park to theReebok Stadium.

In 1998, Wolstenholme made a special appearance inEA Sports' videogameWorld Cup 98,as the sole commentator on the game's classic World Cup matches, recreations of historic World Cup finals that included sepia-toned renditions of the 1930 and 1938 editions.

Legacy

His phrase was used as the title for the sports quiz programmeThey Think It's All Over.

The words "They think it's all over, it is now" are engraved on a flagstone in Churchgate, inBoltontown centre,alongside quotes from other celebrities from Bolton.

Bill Oddiewrote a song about Wolstenholme for the BBC Radio comedy showI'm Sorry, I'll Read That Againwhich includes the lines: "I'm going Wolsten-home/And you can't get Wolsten(worse than)him! "In another sketch onISIRTAa contestant in a television quiz show was awarded Wolstenholme as a prize.

Personal life

In 1944 he married his wife, Joan. She died in 1997. They had two daughters, one of whom predeceased him.

Wolstenholme lived inGalmpton, Torbay,Devon until his death.

See also

• 1966 FIFA World Cup Final
• They think it's all over

External links

• Frank Malley:Obituary: Kenneth Wolstenholme,The Guardian,26 March 2002
• Charles Starmer-Smith:Class of '66 pay tribute to voice of football,The Daily Telegraph,26 March 2002