Running commentary

'I've only been drunk twice and once was with the England women's team'

- Clive Tyldesley answers readers' questions on stadiums, Solskjær and being told 'Not for me, Clive'

What is the best sporting accomplishment you have commentated on? Tony Medlock I always resist any kind of grading of goals or players or matches because I believe sport belongs in its moment.

Sport creates memories - we can recall vividly where we were, who we were with, what we were thinking, when our team won a trophy or an athlete won an Olympic gold medal... those moments are very personal, and the job of the commentator is to try to add something to the memory of those moments. And those moments should remain separate from one another.

Have any of your famous lines been partially scripted, or is it all down to the moment? Dave Stainton Preparation for a commentary is partly about researching information. But more importantly, preparation is a journalistic process, asking yourself,: “What's the story here?” You can’t script lines because you don’t know what the story of the game is going to be, but you can write bullet points that highlight the significance of victory or the repercussions of defeat for the teams involved. It’s then a case of finding the right words to fit the moment, and that can only be done in the moment.