Latest news with #BBCRadioSolent
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'Willo so popular with fans and will be missed'
The stories from the 22 years I spent commentating on AFC Bournemouth matches with Willo (John Williams), who is retiring as BBC Radio Solent's football pundit, would need their own Howe played under Willo in his early days at AFCB, and you only have to see the warmth that Eddie, and other team-mates, have always had towards him to tell you what kind of guy he is. We used to be the only media allowed to travel on the Bournemouth team plane to northern games - simply because of the respect Eddie had for was alongside me for such a significant part of my life and was a brilliant ally and partner in crime. John understood the role and decided he was going to be unfailingly positive. Bournemouth as a town and a club has been a huge part of his life - one that he absolutely loves and will continue to do the wrong fuel in the car, getting lost in his native Liverpool, watching him on a slingshot ride on Blackpool Pier, trying to crowbar him into Everton's cosy press box, boarding a packed train to West Ham without him and countless dodgy quizzes with suspect or incomplete answers. It's been a a lot of couples who have spent two decades together, we had our moments bickering. My commentator's attention to detail drove him not an internet user, or a savvy mobile phone operator. He doesn't do data and relies on his ex-professional's footballing eye. He loves nothing more than seeing a homegrown youngster progress and would clamour for them to is so popular with Bournemouth fans, particularly those who watched him play in the late 80s. If our motorway stop accidentally coincided with an AFCB supporters' coach, after a few chants of "Willo, Willo, Willo" from the KFC queue, John decided he preferred staying with the car than be embarrassed by the has to come to an end. I know Willo has given this plenty of thought and will hugely miss the job. The listeners (which include myself now) will certainly miss to John's final game as summariser on BBC Radio Solent from 16:00 BST on Sunday as he joins Jordan Clark for Bournemouth v Leicester
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Q&A: Would it have been better to stay in the Championship?
On Wednesday, BBC Radio Solent's Adam Blackmore has been answering your questions in a Southampton Q&A. In part two, he reflects on the 2024-25 season and is asked whether a new boss will be able to turn things around next term. Barry: Would Southampton have preferred to stay in the Championship if they had known what this season was going to be like? Adam: I vividly remember many conversations with the great Dave Merrington on this theme. You know, when people say better to go down from the Premier League and regroup to come back up stronger? Dave would say that's rubbish. He said you never want to get relegated, and staying in the Premier League and being in it goes above every other priority. So, to answer your question, I think it's always better to go up and take the extra status and income the Premier League brings. Going up to the Premier League hasn't been the problem - being bad at recruitment has. Luke: We really are in a mess! To what extent do you think a new manager will be able to turn round our current squad? I'm not particularly looking forward to next season at the moment, other than no VAR! Adam: We are all hoping that he will, Luke! And to be honest, your question is tough to answer without knowing who that manager is. I do believe that with his two years of experience in the Championship and his previous coaching at the highest level, Danny Rohl would be a great progressive appointment if they can keep him away from other clubs. But whoever it is, it has to be a rock-solid appointment for me, an appointment that smacks of experience and authority, not a manager whom the owners gamble on. And yes, there is a hell of a lot to like about no-VAR-football. It's how the game should be played - you can all celebrate when the ball hits the back of the net, and I can commentate on goals without us having our excitement and moments taken away from us. Come back to this page later for the final part
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Q&A: When will Southampton appoint a new manager?
[Getty Images] Throughout Wednesday, BBC Radio Solent's Adam Blackmore will be answering your questions in a special Southampton Q&A. In part one, he dives into the club's search for a new manager. Billy: When can we expect the new manager to be appointed? Surely the sooner the better? It would make sense to have him at the training for the final couple of weeks of the season to assess the players and try to get ahead of the game. We always seem to be slow and behind the curve. Advertisement Adam: I agree with you in principle. I wanted them to get the new manager done as soon as possible, just to give everyone a lift. But having spoken to a few people recently, it seems the perceived wisdom is that if you appoint while a manager (interim or not) is doing the job, you create an unwanted distraction for them and weaken their position early. So I think we will be waiting until at least next week at the earliest, and possibly a lot longer. If Danny Rohl is the number one choice, then reports linking him to lots of jobs are either a good smokescreen or Saints might need to keep looking! Clive: Has Simon Rusk done enough to keep the manager's job for the next season and would he want it? Adam: I think Simon has done well to enhance his reputation as a coach with what he has said and done. There is a lot to be said for setting up a poor team to be hard to play against and recognising its weaknesses, something his immediate predecessors refused to do. Advertisement But I do not think he should be considered for the permanent job purely because of his lack of experience in the Championship and his lack of managerial experience overall. It is a very tough league, and Saints can't gamble on their next managerial appointment in my opinion. Would he want it? I think the fact that Simon gave up his role with the Under-21s tells us he felt it was time to put himself forward again in senior football, and I am sure he will want to stay in management if he can. Come back to this page later on Wednesday for part two
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Send us your Southampton questions
It has been a miserable Premier League campaign for Southampton, even if a battling point against Manchester City ensured they got the point required to avoid equalling Derby's lowest points a long summer ahead, and a busy Championship schedule next season, there is plenty to get stuck into and BBC Radio Solent's Adam Blackmore is once again here to us your questions here about the manager, transfer plans, boardroom or anything else and we'll put a selection to back to this page later this week to see his answers.
Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Blue Peter legend caught sunbathing topless in awkward nude blunder
Broadcasting star Valerie Singleton hosted iconic TV programme Blue Peter for a decade back in the 1960s before going on to present The Money Programme and BBC Radio 4 show PM A Blue Peter legend was caught sunbathing topless by hot air balloon passengers, the TV star revealed. Valerie Singleton is best known for her time presenting the children's TV programme but has now opened up about her funny moment years on. Valerie has revealed her anecdote about how she was caught sunbathing topless by passengers of a hot air balloon. She explained that she was left embarrassed when she was simply relaxing on her balcony at home - and spotted a hot air balloon full of people nearby. Forgetting she had no clothes on, Valerie stood up to wave at those travelling in the hot air balloon. However, seconds later she realised that she was topless for all to see and ran to grab a towel to cover her modesty. Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, she explained that she used to put plants around her so she could sunbathe naked at her home near Sherborne, Dorset without being spotted by any of her neighbours. Valerie told listeners of the radio show: "I was sitting on my balcony and I had window boxes all around so I could sunbathe topless without all my neighbours seeing me. "Then suddenly, quite a long way off, I saw a hot air balloon. Quite without thinking I stood up and waved to it and then the hot air balloon turned to me and dipped its basket to me. I was a bit too late to reach a towel. They must have had binoculars because they were quite a long way off." 88-year-old Valerie is best known for hosting Blue Peter between 1962 to 1972 before going onto to present The Money Programme and BBC Radio 4 show PM. She never got married but was involved in a relationship with Albert Finney and has an affair with Blue Peter co-star Peter Purves while he was married. Valerie revealed almost 20 years ago that they had slept together, saying: "It was one of those impulsive, enjoyable experiences - but more a friendship thing than anything else. Sleeping with people you work with is generally not advisable, so we didn't want to pursue it. There was always an unspoken acknowledgement that something rather nice had happened." While Peter recently opened up to The Telegraph about the drunken fling saying: "I am not being shy, but I feel it is disrespectful to go into this. I loved the 60s, the world seemed to be a much freer place. It was a time of great music, peace, and fantastic clothes which went on into the 70s and 80s – and I had a great time. I would only apologise if I ever offended anyone, but I hope I didn't."
