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Monday, 23 April, 2001, 14:04 GMT 15:04 UK
Motty's Magic Matches
Join John Motson on Radio Five Live for Motty's Magic Matches
Motty's Magic Matches begins on Wednesday 30 May on Five Live 909&693 MW at 2100BST.

BBC Sport commentator John Motson has recorded a new radio series in which he chooses six of the most exciting games that he's commentated on.

Each programme replays Motty's commentary from the matches interspersed with interviews and the musical hits of the era.

Special guests on the show will be invited to take part in a current affairs quiz to test the accuracy of their memories.

The commentator's first choice (30 May) is the 1981 FA Cup final replay at Wembley between Tottenham and Manchester City.

The match has gone down in history due to Spur's Ricky Villa scoring one of the greatest goals ever to grace the twin towers, and indeed the game of football.

Ricky Villa celebrates his FA Cupwonder goal
Ricky Villa celebrates his FA Cup wonder goal
Motty is joined by former Tottenham captain Steve Perryman who now coaches at Exeter city, and Tommy Hutchison who scored at both ends in the first game and is now working on the staff of Bristol City.

In programme two on 13 June, Motty looks back on one of the matches from last year's Euro 2000 competition in Belgium and Holland.

The game was Spain versus Yugoslavia and both teams thought before the game that only the winner of the match would progress to the next round.

Spain scored twice in the last minute to win the game 4-3, but other results saw both teams progress.

Mark Lawrenson and Alan Hansen were both in the stadium that day and they join Motty to look back on the game.

The 1989 FA Cup 3rd round tie between Sutton United and Coventry City is the subject of the third programme on 20 June.


The commentary clips should rekindle a few memories, and listening back to a few moments of magic, I've already had a few tingles down my spine
  John Motson

The match was one of the most famous examples of a giant killing act when non-league side Sutton defeated a Coventry side who only 18 months previously had played in the FA Cup final.

Motty recalls the game with the help of two of the Sutton players that made that victory possible - Barry Williams, the then manager and Tony Raines, who scored the first goal.

The next two games in the series are both international games.

The first, on 27 June, is the game between England and Scotland in Euro 96, when Gazza, who had been hounded by the press leading up to the tournament, scored a brilliant goal, and Gary McAllister missed a penalty for the Scottish side.

Two of the England internationals who played in Terry Venables' team that day will be sharing their memories of the match with Motty.

A week later Motty's Magic Match is the 1982 World Cup in Spain when Italy beat Brazil by four goals to three.

Paolo Rossi scored a hat-trick for Italy to eliminate what many people thought was the best ever Brazilian team.

Manchester United end an 18 year wait
Manchester United end an 18 year wait
The final match in the series is the game when Manchester United celebrated their first top flight championship victory in 26 years.

Aston Villa had lost the day before, handing the title to United.

With the Championship secured, the match at Old Trafford turned in to a celebratory occasion.

As Motson recalls: "The atmosphere at Old Trafford that night was something I'll remember for the rest of my life."

While Motson is aware that not everyone will agree with his choice of matches, he hopes that listeners will enjoy the series:

"The commentary clips should rekindle a few memories, and listening back to a few moments of magic, I've already had a few tingles down my spine."

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