The Easy Rider
The Easy Rider: chilling out by his lock-up
I’ve always loved Steve Rider a little bit. He is a consummate man with the look of a well-coiffed barn owl. He has gravitas coming out of his anus. His unflappable understated professionalism makes me feel safe. “Well played Southend” he pipes at half-time with the ingenuous enthusiasm of a mum.
For that is where he is tonight. Peering through the January mists at Roots Hall in the heart of the Essex Riviera, helming ITV’s coverage of Southend’s FA Cup replay with Chelsea.
Steve deserves better than this. A mere few years ago he was supping Long Island Iced Teas in the rare surroundings of the Butler Cabin at Augusta managing the BBC Masters coverage. Now he’s in a structurally unsound portakabin. With Andy Townsend. Who as usual is “really this” and “really that” and “really they’ll give 110% tonight Steve”.
Even more recently Steve was strutting around the starting grids of exotic locations such as Interlagos and Monte Carlo heading up the ITV Formula One broadcasts. His true passion. And now that’s been taken from under his nose by the very station he defected from: the Beeb.
Already talk of a transfer back to the club where he learnt his trade has been silenced. The BBC already have their man. Or more accurately boy. Jake Humphrey has got the F1 gig. I think we were all taken surprise by that. Nice young man, but he probably doesn’t know what gravitas means.
Turn the channel mate.
Rider is odd – so smooth it’s almost creepy; attached to no one sport; mercenary in his utility. This is why I do not take to him and never have.
Humphrey is a baffling anomaly. He should go back to the Broom Cupboard and remain a link man between Smart and Byker Grove, or whatever shows are on CBBC these days. I cannot take him seriously.
I remember that the mercenary slur was also directed at Barry Davies. Jack of all trades, master of none. Motson was football, Davies was gymnastics, ice-skating, tiddlywinks et al. I think that football fans distrusted him because he’d sent his son to Eton. Thought he was a nouveau riche twunt. Interestingly, Mark Davies is now the managing director of Betfair.
Just as a footnote to Rider piece I found this article during my extensive research. Passed me by at the time.
Last one to leave the country turn the lights out…..
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