Shropshire-born and Manchester-bred, John became a schoolteacher in 1967 and, for twenty years, taught in some of Manchester’s toughest schools. He also spent a year teaching inmates at the city’s famous Strangeways Prison (not as an inmate himself, he is quick to remind one!).

Since 1987 he has been fully employed as a sports commentator, covering Oldham Athletic during their heady days of Premier League soccer, Lancashire County Cricket Club during the highly successful nineties, including several Lord’s Finals, and major darts tournaments at home and abroad for Sky Sports.

Rugby League, before it became a largely summer occupation, was another sport covered by John, who has also reported on Union, American Grid-Iron, Speedway, Greyhound Racing and even Clay Pigeon Shooting.

JOHN GWYNNE has many an interesting and entertaining story to tell: Of his younger days when he wanted to emulate his heroes on the mike, John Arlott, Raymond Glendenning and Kenneth Wolstenholme; of his days in the classroom and some of the most amusing experiences in front of the describing events on the field and on the oche, and of the people he has met and interviewed who, themselves, had a wonderful tale to tell.

He has been privileged to have worked on the dinner circuit alongside some of sport’s greatest names, Gordon Banks, John Parrott, Jack Charlton, Denis Law, Mike Atherton, Dennis Lillee and John Conteh to name but a few, perhaps further testimony to his prowess behind the mike.