Mike Ingham - After Extra Time and Penalties: Memories of a BBC Football Correspondent

In this podcast interview you will hear me chatting with Mike Ingham, former BBC Football Correspondent about his autobiography After Extra Time and Penalties:  Memories of a BBC Football Correspondent which has recently been released as an audiobook. 

From the age of seven Mike had always had a burning ambition to work at the BBC. He got his first break working at BBC Radio Derby before joining BBC Sport Radio at Broadcasting House in London. 

It was a trip with his Dad to the 1964 F. A.  Cup final between Preston and West Ham, which was a life changing moment for Mike showing him the power of communication through commentary and how sports commentary could change people’s lives.   While  at Wembley watching that  F. A.  Cup final Mike noticed a Lancashire man looking up to the sky with a big smile on his face and enjoying the match through the description and commentary from his sighted friend. 

During his life as a sports broadcaster Mike received many letters from blind and visually impaired listeners, from his time working at BBC Radio Derby right through to a note when he retired from the BBC in 2014 from the Rt Hon David Blunkett thanking him for bringing football to life for him over the years. 

In Mike’s Broadcasting career he attended eight World Cups, commentated on twenty-eight F. A.  Cup Finals, work with ten full-time England managers, and introduce Sports Report on Radio Five Live.

In my  interview via Zoom with Mike we chatted about his early life supporting his local football club Plymouth Argyle, his time at both BBC Radio Derby and at BBC Sport in Broadcasting House, what it was like working with some of the great Sport Broadcasters and of course not forgetting that life changing moment at the 1964 F. A.  Cup Final.

“I just wanted to thank you for sending over a copy of our interview for me to hear.  I really enjoyed our chat and I think that comes across in the broadcast.  You made the interviewee feel very comfortable and have a really relaxing and gentle probing style.

Thank you also for making it available via your Audioboom.  I think it is a fantastic service that you are providing.” - Mike Ingham

After Extra Time and Penalties:  Memories of a BBC Football Correspondent by Mike Ingham is published by Book Guild Publishing and is available as  an audiobook, a Kindle download and in other formats¨.