My Life In Media: Martin Tyler

Martin Tyler, 61, is senior football commentator at Sky Sports, which will cover its 1,000th live Premiership match this Thursday. Having played centre-forward for Corinthian Casuals in the Isthmian League, he finally decided he was better suited to working in the media. In 33 years of commentating, he has covered some of the most memorable moments in modern British football, including David Beckham's dramatic free kick against Greece at Old Trafford in October 2001. He lives with his wife Paula in Surrey. They have two teenage children.

What inspired you to embark on a career in the media?

Because I wasn't good enough as a player. My girlfriend at the time knew someone at Marshall Cavendish publishers and said to me it's about time you did something instead of lolling about being a footballer. Later, when I was freelancing and still playing part-time football, I had a job offer from LWT. I told Jimmy Hill, for whom I was ghostwriting a newspaper column, that I was going to turn the TV job down. He said: "Are you mad? You never know where it might lead you."

When you were 15, what was the family newspaper and did you read it?

We had two, the Daily Mirror and The Daily Telegraph, and I read them from cover to cover every day. I went to the back pages first but I did read the other news. There was hardly any sport on television and it was the only way to find out what was happening. I was devouring the papers a long time before the age of 15, to be honest.

What were your favourite TV and radio programmes?

Any football on television. Before the era of Match of the Day, there was something called Soccer Special on the BBC. Also live Test cricket - I remember seeing Jim Laker taking 19 wickets in 1956, which seems as astonishing today as it did then.

Describe your job

Shouting "goal!" for a living.

What media do you turn to first thing in the morning?

I have the radio on very early for the school run but I will have Sky Sports News on early to see what the papers have missed overnight.

Do you consult any media sources during the working day?

I try to read all of the newspapers, either by touch or by internet. I talk to my colleagues - Geoff Shreeves has just called me from Milan to find out what's in the papers here. And though technology is not my first language, I'm learning all the time and appreciating the advantages of researching off the internet, particularly for foreign teams.

What's the best thing about your job?

Being so close to football.

And the worst?

Having to live with the obvious human failings of being a live broadcaster. There are no second chances and there are always things that I'd wished I'd said but didn't.

What is the proudest achievement in your working life?

Being asked to do the next game. By which I mean my length of service. My first game was in 1974 - Southampton 0 Sheffield Wednesday 1 - on the old Southern Television. The goal came after two minutes from a very recognisable redheaded forward called Eric Potts, to whom I've been grateful ever since.

And your most embarrassing moment?

When an injury-stricken player was being taken from the field, I noted that it was a "sad sight for Sheffield Wednesday fans". Unfortunately, I inserted a stray H into the second word.

At home, what do you tune in to?

Mostly Sky Sports, but I enjoy programmes like Spooks and escapism TV. I like House very much and also New Tricks with Dennis Waterman, who I have been playing charity football with for many years.

How do you feel you influence the media?

I wouldn't dream of thinking I influence the media.

What is your Sunday paper and do you have a favourite magazine?

The Non-League Paper. I'm a coach at Kingstonian Football Club and I always like to read up on what the opposition have been doing. I often commentate for Sky on Sundays and try to read all the newspaper coverage relevant to the game I'm broadcasting.

Name the one career ambition you want to realise before you retire

That's easy. To commentate on England winning the World Cup.

If you didn't work in the media, what would you do?

I'd have done my football coaching badges and would be striving to be a coach in the way I strived to be a player - with more success.

Who in the media do you most admire?

People who have done it for a very long time. The test of true professionalism is to be able to revisit something and still sound fresh.