Jonathan Pearce

Jonathan Pearce

Jonathan Pearce (born 1959) is a British football commentator for the BBC. Known for his loud, exuberant commentaries, he has worked for both Radio Five Live and Match of the Day, as well as participating in other lower key sports programmes.

Quotes

• Taylor....Benjani coming in..........OHHHHH, HOW ABOUT THAT! A bullet of a header; Totally out of the blue - It's Portsmouth 1, Manchester United 1! Utaka did well...forcing it wide, Taylor with an in cross, Benjani coming from a deep position; wasn't picked up.....he launched himself at it....1-1. No one could see that coming....and no one saw Benjani coming.
  • Jonathan's sheer excitement as Portsmouth equalise against the champions, Manchester United at Fratton Park in August 2007. The match ended in a stalemate draw, both sides having a player sent off in the final third.

• Faye...this is Davies...Anelka, still looking for his first Bolton goal...Nicolas Anelkaaa...HE GETS IT! A terrific goal. From the minute he picked that ball up, I think he had one thing in mind. And Bolton half time lead is commanding.
  • Nicolas Anelka's screamer described by Jonathan for Match of the Day in November 2006.

• Fabregas looking left.....this is Abou Diaby...tall, rangy...and going for goal....OOOHHHH - What an absolute screamer! Abou Diaby! Arsenal 1, Derby County 0. A glorious strike! Found in space, cut inside worked the yard more in space and thumped it!
  • Abou Diaby's first goal of the season, which was best described as an "absolute screamer" by Pearce. The goal, which was followed by an Adebayor hat-trick and a Fabregas shot, helped cement Arsenal's position at the top of the Premier League summit in early September 2007.

• Denilson......on to Adebayor; great chest trap.....Adebayor - on a hat trick....AND GETS IT! And that was a very special goal. Magnificent.....it was all about the first touch. Hit high...look at the jump - Magnificent. Then the composure and a low bent finish. A hat trick for Emmanuel Adebayor. Magnificent....Majestic; then picked himself up, little shimmy....side foot finish - Adebayor has three, Arsenal have five. Derby have conceded nine goals in two games in north London this season.
  • A devastating hat trick by Emmanuel Adebayor, capping off a spectacular performance for the Togo and Arsenal center-half against Derby County.

• Pires now.......Bergkamp is to his left.....room for a bender - but....AHHH!! AND IT'S IN! What a ghastly moment for Russell Hoult, who seemed to have it covered. It was bending....it was moving in the air....with the goalkeeper had a splendid game for West Bromwich Albion...will know he had it covered.
  • A howler from West Brom keeper Russell Hoult allows Arsenal midfielder, Robert Pires to curl a shot in and give the champions a surprise lead.

• Cole out.......Purse....trying to find Greening......Ohhh, what a touch...in-towards Geoff Horsfield....IT'S IN! THEY HAVE THE EQUALISER! I think it's Earnshaw's first touch!
  • The Baggies made amends and striker Robert Earnshaw equalised with ten minutes to go. The Gunners as a result had failed to close the gap at the top of the league, which helped open a five-point gap with Chelsea by the end of November 2004.

• Lampard......Drogba wanting it through the middle....Brilliant pass....Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant. Sheer quality, the delivery from Lampard. Drogba's rich vain in goal scoring form continues.
  • Didier Drogba's exquisite goal against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in October 2007.

• Rooney, into space and Anderson....looks for Tevez, can he get away from Kilbane, Carlos Tevez, brilliantly done...can he finish...TEVEZ - HE CAN! Manchester United have the breakthrough! Superb finish. Through the goalkeeper and he rifled it in.
  • Carlos Tevez's goal for Manchester United against Wigan.

• The mad side of genius: Cantona is dismissed! Where can there be a place in the game for a man of such extravagant talent, a man of such wicked temperament? A man who has been quite rightly dismissed, a man who has now got... OH MY GOODNESS ME! HE'S JUST KICKED- HE'S PUNCHED A FAN! Eric Cantona has jumped in and scissor-kung-fu-kicked a fan! Manchester United fans are coming across - I have never seen as disgraceful an incident as that in all my years in football! Eric Cantona should be thrown out of the game, for that sort of incident!
  • Eric Cantona's attack on an abusive Crystal Palace supporter following a red card in January 1995.[1]