For Joey Barton, hearing John Motson call his name as a young player on Match Of The Day will always be a special moment as the Bristol Rovers manager paid tribute to the iconic BBC commentator who died, aged 77, on Thursday.
Motson's stellar career spanned decades and Barton, a historian of the game, holds him in the highest regard. As a young player coming through at Manchester City, he admits he was pinching himself when hearing that unique voice say his name.
Motson spent 50 years with the BBC, covering 2,500 games, 10 World Cups and 29 FA Cup finals before a brief stint with TalkSPORT in 2018 after stepping back from Match Of The Day. Barton says the game will be poorer without him and his sheepskin coat.
