Idwal Robling
Idwal Robling | |
---|---|
Born | James Idwal Robling 1927 |
Died | 9 June 2011 (aged 84) |
Occupation(s) | Footballer, Presenter, Journalist |
James Idwal Robling (1927 – 9 June 2011) was a
Biography
Robling was born in
Robling was an outstanding amateur footballer, and was part of the Great Britain squad for the 1952 Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki. He won 13 caps as an amateur international for Wales, and captained the team on one occasion. He also played for Lovell's Athletic, his company's works team which played at a high level in the amateur Southern League. As his playing career wound down he became involved in sports reporting, and in the 1960s he worked part-time for both BBC Wales Radio as a sports commentator as well as writing reports for The Times, but he was still working as a sales manager in 1969, when he won the BBC competition to find an extra person for the BBC's 1970 World Cup television commentary team in Mexico.[2] Ten thousand people entered, and Robling's rivals in the final six included Ed Stewart, Ian St John and Gerry Harrison. In the final round of judging Robling tied with St John, a Scottish former international footballer, and the casting vote went to the then England football manager Sir Alf Ramsey who was well known for his love of the Welsh accent.[3]
After his victory Robling joined the BBC football Match of the Day team, covering matches in the South and West of England area during a short-lived experiment at covering regional matches, and did indeed go to the 1970 World Cup, commentating on a number of first-round games although none of them were broadcast live in the UK. At the start of the 1970/71 season he replaced Wally Barnes as the regular TV football reporter and commentator on BBC Wales, a role he held for the next sixteen seasons, as well as occasionally covering Boxing and Rugby League
In those days of limited football coverage he was used mainly as a reporter by BBC Wales and his commentaries were largely restricted to the occasional Match of the Day opt-out, Welsh Cup game or international friendly, but
With his 60th birthday approaching Robling retired from commentating at the end of the 1984-85 season but he continued covering football as a reporter with a local news agency. He returned to the BBC in an off-screen role as a producer on the Scrum V and Sport Wales programmes, and was still working there until a few months before his death.
Robling died in Newport, aged 84, following a short illness.[4] He was married with a son and two daughters. His grandson Lewis Robling is a professional rugby union player.
References
- ^ "Idwal Robling". Olympedia. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Annual Report and Accounts. British Broadcasting Corporation. 1970. p. 145.
- ^ Guardian: "The forgotten story of the sports broadcasting revolution (and Idwal Robling)"
- ^ BBC Sport Wales: BBC commentator Idwal Robling, 84, dies