GERALD SINSTADT- "He was a craftsman, a very good commentator and just a lovely man."

Gerald Sinstadt, a local lad from Folkestone, Kent, was educated at the local Harvey GS and first worked for the British Forces' Broadcasting Service in October 1949, moving on to the BBC Radio in the 1950s and 60s. At BFBS he met a young soldier doing his National Service, Barry Davies, who was keen to get into sports' commentating too. Back in the UK, Sinstadt helped Davies to get a foothold in BBC Radio and Sinstadt moved into Anglia television in the mid-1960s.

From 1969 to 1981, he was the main football commentator/presenter for Granada TV in North-west England, replacing Barry Davies, who had moved to the BBC. He presented the Friday evening Granada football magazine preview show Kick Off and over the weekend commentated on matches, usually involving the major clubs in the north-west. 

He often commentated nationally on European matches involving north-west clubs, notably Manchester United's victory over Ajax in the 1976-7 UEFA Cup and Liverpool's defeat of St Etienne in the same season's European Cup.

Sinstadt covered four World Cups for ITV, from 1970 to 1982 and was also part of the ITV team at the European Championships in Italy in 1980. Sinstadt was in ITV's commentating team with Brian Moore and Hugh Johns, covering the UEFA Cup Finals in 1974 and 1976 and the 1978 Football League Cup Final.

During his ITV years he also commentated on a variety of ball games at the 1972 Olympics, notably snooker, golf and cricket.

As well as producing opera programmes, in 1982, Sinstadt commentated for TVS. He also presented World of Sport, golf on Channel 4 and worked with Match of the Day on BBC1. The Boat Race was added to his portfolio, succeeding the legendry Harry Carpenter and on BBC2 he presented the "History of European Football" preparing viewers for Euro96. 

Having been present at Hillsborough, when the disaster happened, he was a major contributor to the remarkable Docu-drama Hillsborough (1996).

Well into the 2000s Sinstadt continued to report from football grounds for BBC Sport's programme Final Score, broadcasting on Saturday afternoons on BBC One and for the BBC's interactive digital service. On 22 January 2011 he voiced short obituaries on Nat Lofthouse (2011) and Tony Gubba (2013) for Match of the Day, . He also wrote for magazines and was a member of the Staffs FA Council and was involved with the county's Youth League. 

He may be remembered for illuminating us as Denis Law completed his famous backheel goal for Manchester City against Manchester United in 1974 and relegated United!

Gerald died today at the age of 91.