Robert Jackson - Radio Sheffield - RIP

RIP Bob Jackson who has passed away at the age of 88.

If you're not of a certain age and have never lived in the Radio Sheffield catchment area, you will not know of this man, however, if you are - and have - then you will know that Robert Jackson was the father of the first ever football phone-in. He was a sports reporter and producer for BBC Radio Sheffield between 1972 and 1992.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/content/articles/2007/10/19/first_football_phone_in.shtml

He had the idea to have a phone-in after the football results at 5pm on Saturday nights and it was originally called 'Grumble' when you could vent your spleen about our local teams, however, after one result, when Wednesday won 5-0 a caller wanted to Praise the team, so the programme became 'Praise or Grumble'. You had about 30-40 seconds to have your say and then Bob moved on to the next caller. It was brilliant.

All such phone-ins have evolved from this idea and Bob once said he wished he had copyrighted the idea - he would have made a fortune.

I remember back in those days, if you did not manage to get to the game, it was compulsory listening and if there was a dearth of goals Bob would play a brass band military march to summon up a goal - and surprisingly, it worked on many occasions!!

Bob was a local character and very well known and those who knew him said what a gentleman he was. The phone-in is still going strong on Saturday nights and evolved into a week day phone-in Monday to Friday called 'Football Heaven'. I've travelled the country following the Owls and listened to many phone-ins but none have come close to the Radio Sheffield offering which covers all South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire clubs.

RIP Bob - It's a Praise from me