Rob Hawthorne
Encyclopedia
Rob Hawthorne is a football commentator currently working for Sky Sports
. He is most notable for his commentating alongside Andy Gray in the 2005 UEFA Champions League
Final in Istanbul
.
He was born in Dudley
, Worcestershire
now West Midlands
. He was a pupil at Foxyards Primary School and later the Blue Coat School.
. After participating in a local radio talent spotting competition, he was taken on by Beacon Radio in Wolverhampton
as a member of the team for the Sunday morning show, "Kid's Stuff".
, shortly after its launch, before moving on to BBC Radio Five Live
with the rest of its sports team in 1994. After senior commentators Mike Ingham and Alan Green, Hawthorne and colleague Ron Jones formed the second "tier" of commentators. During his time on radio Hawthorne commentated on several Division One Play-off finals, the Scottish Cup Final, a number of FA Cup and League Cup semi-finals and two major international tournaments - Euro 92 and World Cup 94.
football games for Screensport
.
in August 1995.
But after his first season covering Monday Night Football (having commented on the title showdown between Newcastle and Man United) Hawthorne worked alongside Alan Brazil and had the privilege of commentating on memorable play off finals. For example, Charlton v Sunderland from 1998 and Man City v Gillingham from 1999. He was moved back to covering Monday Night Football and some Saturday games. He has commentated on League Cup Finals and FA Cup matches. He commentates on all of the Republic of Ireland's matches. In 2003 when Sky got Champions League football live, Hawthorne added this tournament to the ever growing list of tournaments he has commentated on. He did the famous Liverpool v AC Milan Champions League Final in 2005 as Sky's lead commentator Martin Tyler was covering England.
He has now established himself as one of Sky Sports' top commentators. Hawthorne was given several opportunities on big Premiership matches in the 2006-2007 season, including Liverpool vs Chelsea January 2007 and Manchester United vs Liverpool (both games), the Manchester Derby at the City of Manchester Stadium in 5 May 2007 during the same season. In the 08-09 season, he also commentated on Liverpool vs Manchester United in September 2008, and Arsenal vs Manchester United two months later. In the 2009-2010 season, he commentated on matches such as Liverpool v Manchester United in October and Arsenal v Barcelona at the end of March.
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
. He is most notable for his commentating alongside Andy Gray in the 2005 UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
Final in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
.
He was born in Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
now West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
. He was a pupil at Foxyards Primary School and later the Blue Coat School.
Early career
His media career began at the age of 14, when he was still a pupil at the Blue Coat SchoolThe Blue Coat School, Dudley
The Blue Coat School was a mixed secondary school located in Dudley, England. It was opened in 1869 within buildings in Bean Road, several hundred yards east of Dudley town centre...
. After participating in a local radio talent spotting competition, he was taken on by Beacon Radio in Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
as a member of the team for the Sunday morning show, "Kid's Stuff".
Five Live
He then became one of the regular commentators on live broadcasts for BBC Radio 5BBC Radio 5 (former)
BBC Radio 5 was a BBC radio network that carried sport, children's and educational programmes.It was transmitted via analogue radio on 693 and 909 kHz, and lasted for three years and eight months. The success of BBC Radio 4's coverage of the Gulf War, on a service known as Scud FM,...
, shortly after its launch, before moving on to BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
with the rest of its sports team in 1994. After senior commentators Mike Ingham and Alan Green, Hawthorne and colleague Ron Jones formed the second "tier" of commentators. During his time on radio Hawthorne commentated on several Division One Play-off finals, the Scottish Cup Final, a number of FA Cup and League Cup semi-finals and two major international tournaments - Euro 92 and World Cup 94.
Television commentary
His first live television experience came in 1991, when he covered Brazilian championshipCampeonato Brasileiro Série A
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B...
football games for Screensport
Screensport
Screensport was a pan-European sports television channel. The network was launched as a stand-alone channel in Manchester on 29th March 1984 and later acquired by the WH Smith Television Group in 1987...
.
Sky Sports
Hawthorne's move to television was completed as he became part of the Sky Sports commentary team covering Monday night games in the F.A. Premier League; his first live game was Leeds United v LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in August 1995.
But after his first season covering Monday Night Football (having commented on the title showdown between Newcastle and Man United) Hawthorne worked alongside Alan Brazil and had the privilege of commentating on memorable play off finals. For example, Charlton v Sunderland from 1998 and Man City v Gillingham from 1999. He was moved back to covering Monday Night Football and some Saturday games. He has commentated on League Cup Finals and FA Cup matches. He commentates on all of the Republic of Ireland's matches. In 2003 when Sky got Champions League football live, Hawthorne added this tournament to the ever growing list of tournaments he has commentated on. He did the famous Liverpool v AC Milan Champions League Final in 2005 as Sky's lead commentator Martin Tyler was covering England.
He has now established himself as one of Sky Sports' top commentators. Hawthorne was given several opportunities on big Premiership matches in the 2006-2007 season, including Liverpool vs Chelsea January 2007 and Manchester United vs Liverpool (both games), the Manchester Derby at the City of Manchester Stadium in 5 May 2007 during the same season. In the 08-09 season, he also commentated on Liverpool vs Manchester United in September 2008, and Arsenal vs Manchester United two months later. In the 2009-2010 season, he commentated on matches such as Liverpool v Manchester United in October and Arsenal v Barcelona at the end of March.