Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Dan O'Hagan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dan O'Hagan (born 1978 in Stourbridge) is a sports journalist and football commentator on British television, best known for his work on MUTV, BBC Match of the Day, Eurosport and ITV Anglia. He is from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, and is the partner of ITV Weather presenter Becky Mantin.
Educated at Redhill Secondary School in Stourbridge, O'Hagan later went on to study History at King Edward VI Sixth-Form College in the same town, famed for being amongst the top three colleges in the country. Incidentally, Sky Sports football commentator Rob Hawthorne is also among the College's alumni. He completed his studies at Bournemouth University studying Multi-Media Journalism, the same degree taken by another Sky commentator Gary Taphouse several years before. While at University, he began working as a newsreader and sports reporter on Bournemouth's Independent Local Radio station 2CR FM.
He joined MUTV ahead of the start of the 1999-2000 season where he quickly established himself as number two commentator to Steve Bower before leaving to join ITV Anglia to replace the outgoing Tony Jones as senior commentator. During his time at Anglia, he was commentator on the Royal Television Society award-nominated Soccer Sunday: Live programme in 2002. He began doing some freelance work while at Anglia (notably covering the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, Euro 2004 and UEFA Champions League football for Eurosport, and Premiership games for Match of the Day), before leaving his staff position at the end of the 2004-2005 season.
He first appeared on MOTD in December 2004 at the comparitively young age of 26, which is the same age at which the legendary John Motson made his debut on the long-running series.
Contents |
First commentary - Tottenham Hotspur v Blackburn Rovers, BBC Radio Sports Plus (forerunner of Five Live Sports Extra), 20th September, 1997.
First TV commentary - Manchester United Reserves v Barnsley FC Reserves, MUTV, November 15th, 1999.
First terrestrial TV commentary - Norwich City v Portsmouth, ITV Anglia, 23rd October, 2001.
First live terrestrial TV commentary - Manchester City v Norwich City, ITV Anglia, 13th January, 2002.
First appearance on Match of the Day - Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur, December 26th, 2004.
Dan O'Hagan is a keen aviation photographer, with work published in magazines both in the UK and worldwide.
He is also a distant relative of Celtic midfielder Aiden McGeady.
Dan's "big break" came in 1997 when he won a "Young Commentator of the Year" competition on BBC Radio Five Live.
"Proper fire and brimstone stuff" - on the weather at the West Ham versus Reading Premiership match.
"With bags of bend, bags of swing, and bags of power!" - on Morten Gamst Pedersen scoring for Blackburn Rovers against Newcastle United.
"The kind of goal the Champions League was made for!" - on Didier Drogba scoring for Chelsea against Barcelona.
"A goal worthy of the match" - on Didier Drogba scoring for Chelsea against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.
"The cue for glum Arsenal faces, and for PSV delight" - on Alex scoring for PSV against Arsenal.
"The man who scored the own goal, has maybe scored THE goal" - on Alex scoring for PSV against Arsenal.