Warrington Wolves stadium announcer retires after 12 years

“I’ve always thought that the greatest thing about life is how random accidents of fate can shape your future in ways you never expected.

“One of my proudest achievements so far is to have served Warrington Wolves supporters for 12 years as stadium announcer.

“But this was never an ambition of mine, nor is it a job I even applied for.

“It all started one rainy Thursday in 2006 when I was driving home after presenting the breakfast show on Wire FM.

“I got a call from an unknown number and imagine my surprise when the voice on the line introduced himself Dave Hutchinson, commercial director of Warrington Wolves.

“He told me the regular stadium announcer at the Halliwell Jones had broken his leg and was unable to host the next two games.

“Now Dave is a very nice guy, but he’s tough and that side of him was on display when he told me he had less than 48 hours to hire a replacement and the only candidate was the local radio presenter (me).

“When I got over the shock I agreed to do it, consoling myself that I wasn’t totally unqualified to entertain 10,000 fans of a sport I knew nothing about.

“After all I had arena experience – I’d once warmed up the crowd at a Steps concert!

“With such solid experience, I told myself ‘what could possibly go wrong?’

“In the end, I got through the first game by deploying my one and only trump card.

“I am from Warrington and what I lacked in knowledge about rugby I could make up for by being passionate about my home town.

“I don’t really remember those first two games, nervous adrenalin robbed me of the memory.

“I do know there were no dire mistakes, no-one booed me and best of all I really enjoyed doing it so I was delighted when I was offered the role permanently.

“That is the total fluke that led to 12 amazing years at Warrington Wolves.

“Without a doubt, the standout moment of those years was being master of ceremonies when the Challenge Cup was delivered to our Town Hall in an open-top bus filled with the players that won it.

“I was delighted that far more people turned up than had been expected, but it gave a real headache to security.

“The crowd were facing the Town Hall and the bus was going to come towards the Golden Gates behind them. Security for whatever reason didn’t want everyone to turn at the same time.

“The head of security instructed me that for safety reasons I should ignore the bus’s arrival at the top of Winmarleigh Street and instead keep people looking at me.

“I thought that couldn’t be fair – thousands of people who had stood in the rain for hours would miss the Challenge Cup coming home.

“In the end, I ignored the head of security. He knew his job but I knew Wolves fans better.

“They would not be irresponsible enough to stampede nor would I be irresponsible enough to rob them of their big moment.

“When I was notified the bus was five seconds from coming into view (which came via a text message) I uttered the very simple words ‘it’s here.’

“Those words might not seem inspiring but I had spent a long time choosing them. I knew at that moment nothing I could say was going to express how we all felt better than the deafening cheers of a proud town.

“When the bus stopped and the team got off I announced each and every person, including the backroom staff and members of the squad who hadn’t played. I knew the crowd would want to thank them all individually.

“The only person who didn’t get a mention was the man who has been so influential in the Wolves success of recent years – Simon Moran.

“Simon is a quiet man who doesn’t seek attention but is very clever and in many ways an inspiration because I come from a music background too.

“After the homecoming, I didn’t want to walk back to the HJ for my case so I asked the open-top bus driver for a lift.

“He said yes and the bemusement of people who were still milling about on the route I passed by waving!

“I’ll remember the Challenge Cup Final last year when the two stadium announcers were asked to read their team sheet at Wembley.

“I’m fairly certain it only happened because the Wembley announcer Pete (also from Warrington) couldn’t speak Catalonian.

“In any case, it was a nice touch that I hope will now become a tradition.

“When I tell people I was stadium announcer at Wolves, the most regular questions I get asked are actually about the half time entertainment…especially about the Jedward performance.

“People walk up to me and say ‘how does their hair stay up?’ The answer is simple – there were industrial quantities of Wella Shockwave in their dressing room that day!

“As we all know, Wolfie is a real tame wolf who lives under the scoreboard in the stadium, but he couldn’t do what he does without his human assistant.

“He has had two human assistants during my time at the club, both of them put their heart and soul into his performances.

“They are both incredible people whose passion for the club and Wolfie shows through in everything they do.

“Over my years I’ve also developed friendships with the players who wow us on the pitch.

“It is easy to be intimidated by huge guys like Adrian Morley and Ashton Sims who seem so aggressive during matches.

“In fact, the players are just like the fans – ordinary people who live their lives in the sporting arena for a love of the game.

Picture by Bob Brough/Warrington Wolves

“I’ve announced in French, announced at the world cup and had the great honour of announcing Lee Briers as the club’s highest all-time points scorer.

“I will genuinely miss working with all these people but there is an irony to this story that softens the blow.

“I was dragooned in as stadium announcer because I was the most senior radio presenter in the town, not because I had any interest in rugby.

“Over the years I’ve worked for the club, I’ve developed a genuine passion for this game but I still haven’t actually attended a rugby match at the HJ as a supporter.

“This season, for the first time ever, I’ll be able to take my children to a Wolves match and sit with them in the stand. I cannot wait to see the joy on their faces.

“For 12 years I worried about the half-time show. From now on, I’m all about the full-time score!”