TALKING A GREAT GAME

BBC Sportscene marks big 5-0 with Rob, Archie, Dougie & Jock calling the shots

- BY JOHN DINGWALL

TELLY football legends Archie Macpherson and Dougie Donnelly are set for a sensational TV comeback.

Veteran commentators Jock Brown and Rob Maclean will also be returning to screens for a special BBC Sportscene 50th anniversary special this Saturday evening.

The one-off edition will feature famous presenters and commentators from down the decades.

Dougie, 72, will be back in the Sportscene presenter's chair while Archie, Rob and Jock will be on commentary duties around the grounds.

Archie, 90, who appeared on BBC's Sportsreel show before becoming the face of Sportscene, said: "I started in 1962 with Sportsreel on Black Saturday, the weekend of the Cuban missile crisis. My first report was Hamilton against Stenhousemuir at a time when the world was worried about nuclear warfare.

"Programmes rely on the events they cover and I was lucky enough to cover a succession of World Cups for Sportscene. They gave the programme a great status in the public eye.

"The World Cup provided one of my career highlights - Archie Gemmill's goal in Mendoza. It was a standout for me, and of course it went on to be featured in Trainspotting, although I had to record another commentary for the film because the sound quality of the original wasn't strong enough.

"I'm very grateful for this opportunity to go back on the show. It's quite a gesture after all this time away from commentating on Sportscene."

Show legend Dougie said: "It was a great time for Scottish football and the Saturday night sports programme was absolutely required viewing.