Not sure I can imagine match days without hearing Dave Bathurst’s voice to be honest. He’s like a Murray Walker figure for WFC really.
He might have been here since well before I was born, but his voice is evocative of a particular era to me as a kid getting into it all in the late 90s.
The smell of cigarettes and pies. Watching Jimmy Walker warm up. His voice. “Starting if I may with our visitors.”
All the inexplicable stuff that’s part of why no other ground ever feels quite ‘right’.
My funniest memory of Dave is when we got stuffed 7-0 by Chelsea back in 1988/89 and he came on the tannoy immediately after the final whistle to announce that videos of the game were available to purchase (obviously by the celebrating Chelsea fans not us!)
There were a few times when he took great relish in repeating the half time score at the Hawthorns, Molineux, or Villa Park if the hosts were getting stuffed. And i recall at least one occasion when he said “Now, now” to quieten the schadenfreude derision following one of those announcements.
It was when we played Bristol City. Their fans cheered loudly and chanted “The Gas are going down!” when it was announced that Bristol Rovers were losing.
I wish all three of them best wishes for the future. They will all be missed but it gives the Club a chance to change things if that what they want to do.
That was the biggest seller that season, by a long way. Didn’t go to the game, but suffered it many times doing copies (I was an unofficial dogsbody for Saddlers TV). Almost as painful as having to copy a load of Cliff Richard concerts on to one tape for someone.
As said elsewhere that’s top stuff from Whitney. May not have been the best manager in the world but obviously a very decent bloke.
Great service from all three and in a small way matchday won’t be the same without hearing two of those voices from a quarter to three and at half time.
Hope the club replaces them all well but won’t be holding my breath on that one given the decline in media standards since Dale Moon left.
Been going to matches since the very early seventies and can only really remember Dave as the pa announcer, it really won’t be the same without him as he was the voice of fellows Park.
Should cancel all player of the season awards and other club awards and just pay respect to a proper servant of the club who knows what the clubs about in Dave Bathurst
Another from David Bathurst was on the very very rare occasion we had someone who had scored a hat trick, he then would announce …”and today’s man of the match is…three guesses”…
I always enjoyed Dave giving a very polite and tongue-in-cheek telling off to fans if they boo an opponents name when it’s read out - “now, now” unless I’ve imagined this!
I’ve only ever known or should I say heard Dave’s voice over the tannoy during my time following the Saddlers. I wish him all the best in his retirement. Maybe those in attendance today could give a loud rendition of “There’s only one Dave Bathurst” as a fitting send-off?