Commentary For Those Who've Lost Their Sight

[SymonSays]

Apologies if this topic's been covered - but many years ago (1960s) in the old Enclosure at Ibrox, a group of blind fans (not sure if the term is totally PC now, but certainly they were without sight) would gather in one area near the very front. They were great fans, and if they couldn't actually see the game, a brilliant commentator gave them a play-by-play. What I remember is just how good a commentary this was. . I think they had a fantastic mental picture of the game and the fan noise provided the rest. Does this still happen at Ibrox anywhere now?

 

[Scoot1975]

I didnt actually realise this was a thing and think that is excellent that that was done back in the day

 

[Myc74]

Yes, there's a wee area just behind the away dugouts where the blind/partially sighted fans sit and are provided with wee ear pieces for commentary.
My uncle had an ST in there before he passed away last year

 

[Billy_Boyce]

The Rangers Blind Party is still going strong. As Myc74 says it's a bit more up with the times than it was in the 70s. But the idea is the same, volunteer commentators give the commentary of the matches for the visually impaired fans, who thoroughly enjoy the experience.

 

[Simply a Bear]

For the love of God, don't ask Craigan to do the commentary for them.

 

[Billy_Boyce]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1504887855767855106

 

[gordon_blue]

My dad’s friend Hugh Gray used to commentate for blind fans in the Main Stand in the 1980s, sometimes helped by Alistair Alexander.

He sat in the middle of 4 or 5 fans and told them what was going on.

 

[bullen an la]

David Tanner (sky sports) dad used to commentate for them
He went on the bishopbriggs bus as did young David

 

[kay]

Lady behind me her son does the commentaries for the Blind, takes great pride in carrying this out

 

[Coisty09]

I did a commentary for a blind guy at one
European match in the 90s.
It was great fun for both of us.
It was in a special section beside the then glass covered TV Broadcast studio.

 

[The Doctor]

I was a friend of a blind guy called Tom Anderson who is unfortunately no longer with us and he used to regale me with some hilarious stories from when the blind guys were watching the game.
Some of the patter was brilliant, just wish I could remember it.

 

[eeboh]

I remember up at tannadice, probably '88-'89 standing on the terracing down near the front at the halfway line. We were right behind a party of blind fans and the guy commentating for them was genuinely brilliant.

 

[bad boy boogie]

Apologies if this topic's been covered - but many years ago (1960s) in the old Enclosure at Ibrox, a group of blind fans (not sure if the term is totally PC now, but certainly they were without sight) would gather in one area near the very front. They were great fans, and if they couldn't actually see the game, a brilliant commentator gave them a play-by-play. What I remember is just how good a commentary this was. . I think they had a fantastic mental picture of the game and the fan noise provided the rest. Does this still happen at Ibrox anywhere now?

Thought about this a while back.....close your eyes the next time we are on tv and i swear,you'd have no idea what is happening on the pitch.
The old days of francie,montford,cameron and macpherson saying "greig,plays the ball down the left to willie johnston,johnston cuts in and sends a cross over ,up goes stein and its a goal,stein has scored!".....never hear that kind of commentary from tv now.

 

[ramers1873]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1488600409056948227

 

[Bluebell11]

It would have been before the 60s but my gran used to do this for her brother at Ibrox.

 

[Billy_Boyce]

I was a friend of a blind guy called Tom Anderson who is unfortunately no longer with us and he used to regale me with some hilarious stories from when the blind guys were watching the game.
Some of the patter was brilliant, just wish I could remember it.

Tom Anderson, like a few of that vintage, was a gentleman and a legend. They were a generation of real characters. And like you say, they could tell a story or two .....

 

[Kuznetsov's Curly Hair]

I was a friend of a blind guy called Tom Anderson who is unfortunately no longer with us and he used to regale me with some hilarious stories from when the blind guys were watching the game.
Some of the patter was brilliant, just wish I could remember it.

Tom was a neighbour of mine up until he passed away. He had many stories about watching Rangers over the years in the blind section.

He was a gentleman and a quite incredible man. If my memory serves correct he lost his sight in childhood yet still qualified as a Physiotherapist. I think it was amazing he was able to do this during the decades where people with disabilities didn't have the same opportunities as they do now.

He was awarded the MBE for his work in the NHS.

 

[jimbear]

I remember one Sunday afternoon back in 1965 being taken on a tour of the stadium and part of it involved being shown where our blind supporters were accommodated along with an explanation of how they could follow the game. Looking back now from a time when we have all sorts of modern technology to do this, it's amazing to think how it used to be done.

 

[SymonSays]

I remember one Sunday afternoon back in 1965 being taken on a tour of the stadium and part of it involved being shown where our blind supporters were accommodated along with an explanation of how they could follow the game. Looking back now from a time when we have all sorts of modern technology to do this, it's amazing to think how it used to be done.

Yes, probably if we could have them stand in for VAR, we'd get better results (at least for the Gers!)

 

[Brother Crockett]

I remember listening to the commentary once in the old enclosure. It was actually a 6-3 win IIRC v's St Johnstone. Rangers had started the season very poorly and the commentator started with "a relegation 4 pointer here" It was his self-deprecating line of patter, which continued all day. But it was fantastic listening to him.

 

[Jimbo 1690]

Thought about this a while back.....close your eyes the next time we are on tv and i swear,you'd have no idea what is happening on the pitch.
The old days of francie,montford,cameron and macpherson saying "greig,plays the ball down the left to willie johnston,johnston cuts in and sends a cross over ,up goes stein and its a goal,stein has scored!".....never hear that kind of commentary from tv now.

All commentators tv and radio stars are just egotists preferring to talk about themselves or choosing the subject to talk about these days. Real media is dead now.

 

[iaatpies]

It still happens at various grounds across the UK, but it's largely done on a voluntary basis. Tend to find that when the incumbent commentator has to give up the role then they don't get replaced and there's no clear planning and development of the role. You'd think that in the modern era of the Equalities Act, football would be far better at taking reasonable steps to help disabled fans continue to access the game.

 

[tottie beck]

Apologies if this topic's been covered - but many years ago (1960s) in the old Enclosure at Ibrox, a group of blind fans (not sure if the term is totally PC now, but certainly they were without sight) would gather in one area near the very front. They were great fans, and if they couldn't actually see the game, a brilliant commentator gave them a play-by-play. What I remember is just how good a commentary this was. . I think they had a fantastic mental picture of the game and the fan noise provided the rest. Does this still happen at Ibrox anywhere now?

My memory is similar. They were better than many actual commentators.