We’re not on the television or in the papers whereas in other countries that’s

We’re not on the television or in the papers whereas in other countries that’s normal. It’s a pity because when we’ve played games in front of big crowds people have never stopped coming up to me to say they were surprised at how skilful it all is.GILL BURNSEngland rugby captainIt’s different now from when I started 11 years ago. Do you know when the next England women’s international is? No, well, it’s next Saturday. So at least that’s changed, but the women’s game still needs more promotion. DEBBIE BAMPTON

Ex-England football captain
In the time I have been playing there has been tremendous progress When I was at school I wasn’t allowed to play with boys.

Or when somebody reads the football results and later discovers that they were the half- times.. On one occasion at the Arms Park in Cardiff, he was high on a scaffolding being blown about by a gale and getting soaked “The box was shaking around. Twenty minutes after we got out, the whole thing collapsed.”As with all 1960s presenters, Coleman could be called on to cover virtually anything, including news. On one occasion in 1964 he was sent to Heathrow to report the Beatles’ return from the United States. Paul McCartney saw him and remarked: “Christ, we must have arrived.”Frank Bough was the programme’s longest-serving presenter, from 1968- 82.

“At Cardiff Arms Park,” he said, “I presented the programme from the touchline. I had to use an old army field telephone, one where you turned the handle, to get through to the gallery. They were terrific times, although in all my visits to the Arms Park I never saw England win.”Lynam confesses that when he first began presenting Grandstand in 1979 “it frightened me to death it took years off my life. Coleman remembers: “I had a special suit made because of all the wiring involved, and the pockets were made bigger to hold the microphone transmitter that enabled me to move around.”But at least the studio was fairly safe. David Coleman (ex-Stockport County Reserves footballer and Shropshire sprint champion) was brought in and remained for 10 years.

“We had spotted him working for the BBC in the Midlands and it was clear that he knew his sport,” Dimmock said. Despite a “Colemanballs” reputation, his ability to take in information, deal with producers’ demands, pinpoint the significant moments and use his homework made Coleman one of the most admired professionals in the business.In the early days, giving a cool and smart impression was not easy. “Eddie Waring could make Castleford on a wet Saturday sound the place to be,” Sir Paul said.After only three editions Sir Paul allowed Dimmock to return to his other two jobs. Today he masterminds the graphics on a computer screen.As a former RAF Acting Squadron Leader, Dimmock was obviously seen as the ideal person to make the best out of being asked to fly by the seat of his pants.

Sir Paul said: “We needed somebody who could link a lot of different items together and cope when things went haywire.” And often they did.Although the first programme went comparatively smoothly, Dimmock recalls other occasions when “you had to take it in your stride when you were expecting to go to Harringay Arena and a voice said, ‘The line’s down. Go somewhere else instead’, and you just had to look in control.” He added: “It was unreal how the engineers somehow managed to get some of the events we covered on to the air.”The first edition lasted two and three-quarter hours and covered racing from Ascot, golf for the Eisenhower Trophy from St Andrews and the Horse of the Year Show Later rugby league became the staple diet. The format of the first programme was, Sir Paul remembers, “much the same as it is today”. The idea was to produce a “live” version of Sportsview, covering a variety of sports building up to the football results which John Tidy (who still works on the programme) “posted” on a huge scoreboard It involved climbing a 15ft ladder.