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| James Alexander Gordon: The tantalising allure of East Fife 4 Forfar 5 | James Alexander Gordon: The tantalising allure of East Fife 4 Forfar 5 |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| In a sad day for football supporters, James Alexander Gordon, voice of the classified results, is to retire - without ever officially reading the scoreline with which he was indelibly associated, writes Jon Kelly. | |
| Any football fan could close their eyes and imagine hearing that honeyed, resonant Scots brogue declare the final score. | Any football fan could close their eyes and imagine hearing that honeyed, resonant Scots brogue declare the final score. |
| "East Fife... (downward inflection) 4. Forfar... (upward lilt) 5." | "East Fife... (downward inflection) 4. Forfar... (upward lilt) 5." |
| For most of James Alexander Gordon's 40-year career delivering the BBC's classified check, it was the tally you enunciated if you wanted to impersonate his distinctive, much-loved delivery. | For most of James Alexander Gordon's 40-year career delivering the BBC's classified check, it was the tally you enunciated if you wanted to impersonate his distinctive, much-loved delivery. |
| In fact, Gordon never announced this fabled scoreline. Now he has retired aged 77 from BBC Radio 5 live after surgery to remove his larynx. | In fact, Gordon never announced this fabled scoreline. Now he has retired aged 77 from BBC Radio 5 live after surgery to remove his larynx. |
| The two clubs, currently both in Scottish football's third tier, have never finished a game thus, although they have come close. | The two clubs, currently both in Scottish football's third tier, have never finished a game thus, although they have come close. |
| In January 1964 an encounter between them finished tantalisingly close, but the wrong way round - Forfar 5 East Fife 4. | In January 1964 an encounter between them finished tantalisingly close, but the wrong way round - Forfar 5 East Fife 4. |
| And in October 2011 fans across the country raised their hopes during a clash which finished, disappointingly, East Fife 4 Forfar 3. | And in October 2011 fans across the country raised their hopes during a clash which finished, disappointingly, East Fife 4 Forfar 3. |
| The man responsible for popularising the scoreline was legendary comedian Eric Morecambe, who would repeat it when mimicking Gordon. | The man responsible for popularising the scoreline was legendary comedian Eric Morecambe, who would repeat it when mimicking Gordon. |
| Morecombe was a great admirer of the announcer and the two men became good friends. "Eric never called me James - whenever I saw him over a 20-year period he would say 'East Fife 4 Forfar 5'," Gordon said in 2012. | Morecombe was a great admirer of the announcer and the two men became good friends. "Eric never called me James - whenever I saw him over a 20-year period he would say 'East Fife 4 Forfar 5'," Gordon said in 2012. |
| The fixture's musical resonance suited the delivery style of Gordon, a skilled clarinettist and pianist in his spare time. | The fixture's musical resonance suited the delivery style of Gordon, a skilled clarinettist and pianist in his spare time. |
| He pioneered the much-mimicked technique of raising his tone for the winning side's score, and dropping it in sympathy for the loser's. | He pioneered the much-mimicked technique of raising his tone for the winning side's score, and dropping it in sympathy for the loser's. |
| "It sounds so unbelievably obvious now but no-one had thought of it before," says former Scottish international turned BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin. | "It sounds so unbelievably obvious now but no-one had thought of it before," says former Scottish international turned BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin. |
| Audiences were always assured, too, that Gordon had the dexterity to deliver such a tongue-twister. | Audiences were always assured, too, that Gordon had the dexterity to deliver such a tongue-twister. |
| "His personality and his trustworthiness always came across, which is very hard to do when you're basically reading a list," says Nevin. | "His personality and his trustworthiness always came across, which is very hard to do when you're basically reading a list," says Nevin. |
| "However, I actually think there's a scoreline in Scottish football which is harder - Threave Rovers 3 Strathspey Thistle 3. Try reading it out three times, quickly. Even the great man himself would struggle." | "However, I actually think there's a scoreline in Scottish football which is harder - Threave Rovers 3 Strathspey Thistle 3. Try reading it out three times, quickly. Even the great man himself would struggle." |
| East Fife and Forfar next meet at Bayview Stadium, Methil, on 14 September. Henceforth, surely the encounter will become known as the "James Alexander Gordon" fixture. | East Fife and Forfar next meet at Bayview Stadium, Methil, on 14 September. Henceforth, surely the encounter will become known as the "James Alexander Gordon" fixture. |
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