Back to Square One

On Sunday 21 January, commentary on the match between Arsenal v Manchester United will be broadcast on Five Live Sports Extra. The commentary from John Murray will utilise the original grid used in early football commentaries to trace the progress of the ball, with position calling from James Alexander Gordon at the match. That’s widely believed to be the origin of the phrase “back to square one”. It's the 80th anniversary of football commentaries on the BBC - on 22nd January 1927 Arsenal v. Sheffield United was that first football radio broadcast. Link to the 75th Anniversary in 2002

I'll be looking out for the print of the grid in the Radio Times, and watching the match on the telly, though I might use the Five Live Extra commentary.