“When I started out, I was helped and encouraged by all manner of people. One good turn deserves another, and I always make a point of replying personally to all the letters I get from youngsters wanting advice on how to break into the media. What I tell them – and the same holds true for any field of work – is that the best tools are persistence and determination. I wrote to every provincial paper in the country before I landed my first job; I refused to be put off by all the rejections I got. And the same tools have served me well ever since, especially in difficult times. In fact, they’re key to success in life, full stop.
“Preparation and organisation are my other watchwords. I need to have committed all the relevant information to memory before I can think of commentating on a match. So while I despair sometimes of my lack of culture, it’s simply because I’m too busy keeping up with football to read novels or see plays. But if you want to do well, that’s the sort of commitment you need. It’s called professional pride.
“I don’t think there’s any point us older men trying to look like teenagers. Stick to the values you were brought up on. For me, that means always looking smart whenever I leave my house. I’m not criticising the casualness of the younger generation, but it’s not for me. It’s one of my golden rules for the world of work: be smartly turned-out in a collar and tie.”
The pearl: “In these days of texts and online chatrooms, it’s easy to overlook the value of a conversation. I believe there’s far more pleasure to be had in talking to someone directly than in sending a message.”
The DVD John Motson’s World Cup Heroes and Villains (4DVD, £19.99) is available now