David Croft
Jasper Carrott once told a story about a mate of his who supported Birmingham City. He was into rallying once but switched over to the Blues and had no idea why, maybe it was because he liked the colours, but he wasn’t sure.
Now I can’t say that I was particularly fond of claret and blue but there must have been some attraction. Otherwise why would a seven-year-old boy from Stevenage, who up to that age had never set foot in the East End, whose friends were all Liverpool or Arsenal fans and whose father was Sheffield United through and through, end up supporting the Hammers.
I can’t remember the day I turned to the Irons, but I do know that by the time we won the FA Cup in 1980 there was no turning back. And I’m glad I never did. Ok, so West Ham aren’t the most successful club on the planet, but with them there’s never a dull moment, like a girl that you know you have to leave for the sake of your sanity but you know you never will because without her life just wouldn’t be right.
So 30 years on I’m now a Formula 1 commentator. I dabble in Darts commentary as well and present a regular weekday evening radio show.
Presenting a show from the Millennium Stadium at the 2004 Championship Play-off final should have been a dream come true but Neil Shipperly ensured that the hour after the final whistle was the longest of my broadcasting career so far. A year later I was in Cardiff again, this time to announce to listeners that West Ham were back in the Premiership, to this day I apologise for the lack of impartiality that day. One day I’ll top this by being on air when the Hammers win the Champions League. Come on you never know...
