James Alexander Gordon retires: The voice of classified football results bows out ...

The 77-year-old's voice is no longer strong enough to broadcast following surgery to treat cancer bringing an end to a 41-year career at the Beeb

Retiring: James Alexander Gordon's voice was known by millions of football fans

James Alexander Gordon - a voice familiar to tens of millions of football fans - is retiring from reading out the classified football results on radio following surgery to remove his larynx.

The operation to treat throat cancer has left the 77-year-old without a voice strong enough to broadcast.

It brings an end to a long career that made Gordon - known by his initials JAG - one of the most recognisable voices on radio, featuring on Radio 2 and later Radio 5 live.

Fans were often able to predict the result of their team by the broadcaster's inflection.

But the BBC confirmed that while the operation was a success, sadly his voice is no longer strong enough to broadcast with.

Richard Burgess, head of BBC Radio Sport, explained: "This is desperately sad news for everyone at BBC Sport and we know our sadness will be shared by many millions of listeners.

"It's not an exaggeration to say that Saturdays at 5pm will never be the same again without the warm, melodious sound of James's voice just after the Sports Report theme on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"A voice which is, of course, recognised around the globe through the BBC World Service and a voice which embodies authority, clarity and charm.

"For so many of us, James has been a mainstay in our lives - a reassuring and reliable presence every week. He is a broadcasting legend."

Mark Pougatch, presenter of 5 Live Sport, said: "Even people who don't really even like football knew who James was, even if they didn't realise it.

"Such was James's unique style of reading the classifieds, his wonderful inflections and stresses, that even non-believers of the sport knew the result after the home team's score.

"Nobody else will be able to say 'Wolverhampton Wanderers' with quite such mellifluous tones.

"But enough of this 'James'. To those of us lucky enough to work at BBC Radio Sport, he is JAG. And JAG is an institution, a legend and a gentleman all rolled into one."

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