Among his 700, 6-6 draw stands out for Ian
Ian Crocker will be Sky’s voice at this afternoon Premiership meeting of Livingston and Rangers He has been commentating on Scottish football for 21 years, racking up around 700 games in the process, and has several special moments banked away in his memory.
From the 2002 Old Firm Scottish Cup Final to Martin O’neill’s first Glasgow derby as Celtic boss to the last-day title dramas, they will never leave him.
The 54- year- old from Dorset would have expected high drama from those showpiece occasions. But one indelible memory was entirely unexpected.
“I treat every game the same, and you never know what the 90 minutes is going to bring,” he said. “One Wednesday night in 2010, however, I went along to Fir Park to cover Motherwell against Hibs.
“It finished 6-6!
“I don’t think we will never see that kind of thing again.” However, Crocker has a gut feeling that the best has yet to come and this campaign could edge everything else.
Neil Lennon and Steven Gerrard are going head to head for the Premiership title. Both of them are doing wonderfully well in Europe.
And the national team are just a couple of a play-off games away from Euro 2020 Finals.
He doesn’t expect to be feeling disappointed come the summer and told the Sunday Post: “I’ve been covering the game in Scotland since 1998 and I love it.
“It really has flown by and that’s always a good sign.
“I started covering Scotland in 1998 – the last time they qualified for a major tournament. “Listen, it’s not my fault!
“There is a real opportunity to do it next year and there is already a play-off game guaranteed, maybe against Finland or Bulgaria, and you can’t ask for more than that.
“The Scotland fans deserve to be at a major Finals. They will add colour and passion to the event, and it’s time for the Tartan Army to be involved again.
“There are some excellent players in the team.
“I don’t want to see the better players leaving the Scottish Premiership. I’d rather they stayed here so I’m getting the pleasure of covering them every week.
“But the truth is that you cannot blame them for wanting to go south to try the EPL.
“Andy Robertson is adored by the Liverpool fans, and it’s the same with John Mcginn at Aston Villa. He is a real hero at Villa Park.
“So seeing Scotland being at a Finals, and a title race going to the wire would make this the best campaign of my 21 years. When the title race goes to the wire, it’s so special. You get that feeling of being privileged to be involved in it, and try your best to do the occasion justice. “I’ve also commentated on memorable individual games, such as Rangers winning the 2002 Scottish Cup Final when Peter Lovenkrands won it in the closing moments.
“Martin O’neill’s first season at Celtic and their 6-2 win over Rangers also sticks out.
“That was 19 years ago, and right now, it’s all shaping up nicely. “Last season I thought we were in for a nail- biter in the league campaign.
“But then Rangers fell away and Celtic scored two or three last-gasp goals in crucial games.
“I have a similar feeling about this season – although I think Rangers have it in them to go all the way.
“They have quality in their squad and they have strength in depth. So, yes, they can win the League but it will take something special to beat Celtic over the course of 38 games.
“It really is a tricky one to call but Neil Lennon’s players know how to get the job done and that is vital. “I can see this going to the wire. “Alfredo Morelos is a goal machine and capable of important moments.
“Now that he has curtailed the ‘Mr Angry’ side, you can see a muchimproved footballer and someone who is a massive asset to his club.
“There is a much better balance to the Rangers team, but I would never count out Celtic because they have a squad full of winners.
“It really is tough to call.” Beyond the next seven months, Sky Sports will have the SPFL Premiership all to themselves as they secured full rights to 50 league games next season.
Crocker’s schedule will be even busier, but he is not complaining. He smiled: “The more games, the merrier. It is a total privilege to have the job that I do.
“Scotland is a proper footballing country and I love the passion. “Sure, it can sometimes go overboard, we all know that. But on the whole, it is very, very special.”