The Kick Off Match (May 6, 1979)

One more from ITV4's Big Match Revisited retrospective, broadcast in 2009. Here's the Kick Off Match from May 6, 1979. In the week that Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister, who would be celebrating promotion to the First Division? And where on earth did Elton Welsby get that jacket? And is that someone's hair blowing into shot during the closing credits? Only one of these questions is answered, and even then, only partially.

[@kwameaboagye940]

Remember the days when World of Sport got their reporters at grounds for their ITV region. Brian Moore-LWT, Martin Tyler-Southern, YTV and Granada, Gerald Sinstadt-Granada and TVS, John Helm-YTV, Gerry Harrison-Anglia, Roger Tames-Tyne Tees, Roger Malone-HTV and Arthur Montford-STV. Plus Hugh Johns-ATV/Central.

[@tomduggan51]

RandomChannel, Many thanks for outstanding action from Wrexham and Newcastle in 1979. Great memories revived of these players from that era!

[@kwameaboagye940]

ITV regions with their own sports rooms Anglia, ATV/ Central, Granada, HTV, LWT, Southern/TVS, Thames, Tyne Tees and YTV.

[@footballsoccerx2021]

At the end Elton Welsby said that the Palace v Burnley game was on Tuesday - it was actually on the Friday - I was there. I wonder if it was put back a few days or if he just got it wrong. Poor Sunderland missed out on Promotion as Palace won 2-0 against Burnley and not only got promoted but went up as Champions - but had Palace lost would not even had been promoted. God bless 2 points for a win

[@darren2514fv]

It was the day before the Cup Final I wonder if BBC and ITV sent cameras to cover that one as short reports as part of the Cup Final programmes

[@kwameaboagye940]

I didn’t know Granada can use their cameras to Wrexham, I thought it’s HTV. Did HTV cover Wrexham against Sunderland too apart from Granada?

[@PressureOnJulian]

Wrexham was in the Granada region, which covered a good chunk of North Wales. Officially, it was also in the ATV region, but not HTV! . Much of Wrexham still can’t receive terrestrial TV from Welsh transmitters

[@paulwilliams8389]

There also used to be a preview football programme on Granada on Friday nights just called "Kick Off" which would look at the coming weekends games involving teams in the region - Wrexham would often be featured on that.