Soccer Night

Well I blame Granada for most regions having Soccer Night - that is originally a Granada programme title - dating back to Elton Welsby days (1990's). Although, we, too, had Soccer Sunday for a few season - I must be honest and do prefer the review show to be on Sunday with a preview show on Friday evenings like the old Granada show - Kick Off (again another show dating back to the Elton Welsby days and beyond).

I just don't understand why they can't start the shows at the start of the season - it does seem daft to start about 1/3 way through the season, and possibly lose potential viewers because of the stupid strategy!!!

I think HTV Wales were the first region to have a show called Soccer Sunday - certainly since the mid 1990s anyway.

Id prefer it on a Sunday as well, whats the point in waiting until the following Thursday night for highlights from the previous weekends games.

On Yorkshire we used to have Goals on Sunday, which then turned into Soccer Sunday and then Soccer Night. We also used to have "Midweek Match". It's hosted thesedays by Andy Townsend, although Mark Chapman often fills in, and as others have said, it's mainly a discussion show with features as the highlights can be seen on Calendar

I must admit in thinking that the regional shows are just a discussion show about regional teams and about the national game from a regional perspective. Thus ITV are assuming that people will want to watch the Championship on Sundays and all other divisional highlights in regional news programmes!

HTV Wales started showing Soccer Sunday from the start of the 1993/94 season, initially presented by Steve Taylor with commentary from Hugh Johns. During those early days they NEVER showed a live division 1 game as so many other regions did back then. However, they did start showing live division 1 football several years later, but they were never as thorough as Central.

HTV West started showing The West Match at the same time, initially presented by Angus Scott and Roger Mallone. To begin with, they would occasionally show live division 1 football, but nowhere near as often as other regions.

Central started The Central Match with Tony Francis at around this time, and Granada had The Granada Match with Elton Welsby, after Welsby had just been removed from presenting on the network. I think LWT's programme was presented by Gabriel Clarke at around this time.

In the early 1990's HTV West used to show Central Sports Special on a Wednesday night and Central Match Live on Sunday afternoon.

It used to really annoy me that my own regional TV station couldn't be bothered to produce their own programme.

Eventually we got West Match Plus.

LOL that doesnt surprise me about HTV West!

Well HTV Wales region only have 3 teams anyway - Cardiff, Wrexham and Swansea - so a 30 minute programme meant there was enough time for highlights from all 3 games.

No no, I think you are mistaken. Let's get this right:

ITV lost the rights to top flight football the year the premiership started. At this point regional football from the football league started on Sunday afternoons.

I can clearly remember "The West Match" launching at this point with Angus Scott/ Roger Mallone, who would occasionally show a live game with the SAME COMMENTARY as Central. Indeed, the live game nearly always seemed to feature at least 1 team from the Central region.

"The West Match" became "West Match Plus" which became "Hit the Net" and then finally "Soccer Sunday". HTV West NEVER showed The Central Match. The only time HTV ever showed a Central football programme was in the days of Star Soccer, which HTV did indeed show on occasions.

A studio ? Westcountry's version of Soccer Night always comes from a pub, an idea I presume they borrowed from Ron Bendell's late night 'political discussion' programme. Westcountry crews obviously know when they're on to a good thing!

Ah the good old Westcountry, living in ITV West land you certainly miss the professionalism, warmth and characters shown in ITV Westcountry programs.

Soccer Sunday returns to HTV Wales today at 4.30pm with highlights from Cardiff, Wrexham and Swansea games.

I think Wales are the only region showing it though.