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''Manchester Sports'' is a radio programme broadcast on
BBC Radio Manchester BBC Radio Manchester is the BBC's local radio station serving Greater Manchester. It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of ...
whenever a major sport event involving a local team takes place. They are branded as the largest sports programme in the North West. The most common of these programmes is broadcast on a Saturday afternoon during the football season, usually starting at 2 o'clock and finishing at 6 o'clock with a live commentary game of one of the 3 o'clock games.


Presenters, commentators and summarisers


Jack Dearden

Jack Dearden is the main commentator for the
Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers Football Club ( ) is a professional association football, football club based in Horwich, Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in EFL League One, League One, the third level of the Englis ...
game but if Bolton are not the main commentary game, he will give updates from the game. Jack is also a presenter of ''Manchester Sports'' and usually presents the show when there is a midweek or Sunday game and also covers rugby league. He also previously commentated for
Oldham Athletic Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is a professional association football club in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. As of the 2025–26 EFL League Two, 2025–26 season, the team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the Eng ...
. Prior to joining Radio Manchester Jack Dearden was Wigan RLFC's club video commentator


Bill Rice

Bill Rice is the sports editor at
BBC Radio Manchester BBC Radio Manchester is the BBC's local radio station serving Greater Manchester. It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of ...
, presents Saturday Sport and commentates on
Manchester United Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...
. He will also report at other local teams.


Liam Bradford

Liam Bradford is the main reporter for Manchester United. He is also the executive producer of
BBC Squad Goals The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current state ...
which goes out across
BBC Local Radio BBC Local Radio (also referred to as Local BBC Radio) is the BBC's local and regional radio division for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of 39 stations. As of December 2024, the network broadcasts to a combined audience of 7.1 mil ...
on
BBC Sounds BBC Sounds is an Over-the-top media service, over-the-top audio streaming media, streaming and download service from the BBC that includes live radio broadcasts, Streaming media, audio on demand, and podcasts. The service is available on a wide ...
during EFL match commentaries.


Dom Dietrich

Dom Dietrich is a commentator and reporter for local teams and Manchester United Women.


Mark Crossley

Mark Crossley Mark Geoffrey Crossley (born 16 June 1969) is a football coach and former Wales international footballer. As a player, he was a goalkeeper from 1988 until 2011 and he has previously played for numerous clubs in England's top flight, notably fo ...
is a presenter of the programme.


Paul Rowley

Paul Rowley is the main reporter and summariser for
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in the EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system. Founded in 1932, they have p ...
and gives regular updates on the game.


Mike Minay

Mike Minay is the main commentator for
Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
, he also presents the programme or does updates from other games.


Arthur Albiston

Arthur Albiston Arthur Richard Albiston (born 14 July 1957) is a Scottish former footballer. Albiston played for Manchester United for most of his career, making almost 500 appearances for the club. He also made 14 international appearances for Scotland and was ...
is an occasional summariser for
Manchester United Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...
, and therefore rarely appears on the show.


Trevor Hunt

Trevor Hunt has been BBC Radio Manchester's Rugby League commentator since 1997 he also does occasional TV commentaries for The Super League Show and does commentaries on Leigh Leopards games for the Leigh club videos/DVDs and worked in BARLA's Press Office and was the Manager for the BARLA Great Britain team.


Stacey Copeland

Stacey Copeland was a former Boxer and Footballer who joined the station in 2019 to take over the presenting role of the Sunday Afternoon programme from Jack Dearden


Notable former presenters


Jimmy Wagg

Jimmy Wagg was the main Saturday presenter for ''Manchester Sports'' and is known for being a
Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
fan. Jimmy began presenting the programme in 1988 and his last programme was on Saturday 1 August 2020. He commonly attends the commentary game but is also regularly in the Radio studio. He also presents the Sunday Morning Show. He has presented the show in its various guises since 1988. In September 2015 he reached a milestone of 1,000 shows as presenter of ''Manchester Sports''. Jimmy presented the programme for over 30 years and never missed a Saturday until he stepped down at the end of the 2019-20 season after 32 years of presenting the Saturday programme.


Ian Cheeseman

Ian Cheeseman was the main commentator for the
Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
as well as other local lower league games.


Local teams covered

Cricket *
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...
Football *
Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
*
Manchester United Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...
*
Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers Football Club ( ) is a professional association football, football club based in Horwich, Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in EFL League One, League One, the third level of the Englis ...
*
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in the EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system. Founded in 1932, they have p ...
*
Rochdale Rochdale ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England, and the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale. In the United Kingdom 2021 Census, 2021 Census, the town had a population of 111,261, compared to 223,773 for the wid ...
*
Oldham Athletic Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is a professional association football club in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. As of the 2025–26 EFL League Two, 2025–26 season, the team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the Eng ...
* Bury *
Macclesfield Town Macclesfield Town Football Club was an association football club based in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. Initially known as Macclesfield F.C., the club was formed in 1874 and from 1891 played home games at Moss Rose. It competed in the short ...
*
Stockport County Stockport County Football Club is a professional association football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in EFL League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1883 as Heaton ...
*
Altrincham Altrincham ( , locally ) is a market town in Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, south of the River Mersey. It is southwest of Manchester, southwest of Sale, Greater Manchester, Sale and east of Warrington. At the 2021 United Kingdom ce ...
* Salford City Rugby League *
Wigan Warriors The Wigan Warriors is an English professional rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club competes in the Super League, the top tier of the British rugby league system. Formed in 1872, the club is a founding member of the Ru ...
*
Warrington Wolves Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league club based in Warrington, England. They play home games at the Halliwell Jones Stadium and compete in Super League, the top tier of British rugby league system, British rugby league. Warringto ...
*
Salford Red Devils The Salford Red Devils are a professional rugby league club in Salford, England. They play home games at Salford Community Stadium in Barton upon Irwell and compete in the Super League, the top tier of British rugby league system, British rugb ...
*
Leigh Leopards The Leigh Leopards are a professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England. Leigh play homes games at Leigh Sports Village and compete in Super League, the top tier of British rugby league system, British rugby league. ...
*
Swinton Lions The Swinton Lions are a professional rugby league club based in Swinton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the RFL League 1 . The club has won the Rugby Football League Championship, Championship six times and three Challenge Cups ...
*
Rochdale Hornets The Rochdale Hornets are a professional rugby league club from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England, competing in the League 1, the third tier of European rugby league. The Rochdale Hornets are one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs tha ...
*
Oldham Roughyeds Oldham Rugby League Football Club, is a professional rugby league football club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. The club plays home games at Boundary Park and competes in Championship, the second tier of British rugby league. O ...
Rugby Union *
Sale Sharks Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom. Its team play in Premiership Rugby, and have been in England's top division of rugby union continuously since 1995. Originally founded in 1861 as ...


References

{{reflist Sport in Manchester British sports radio programmes BBC Local Radio programmes BBC Radio Manchester programmes BBC Radio Manchester