Premier League 2023-24 review: broadcasters of the season

From left to right: Jamie Carragher, Lucy Ward and Ally McCoist. Composite: Guardian Picture Desk

Ally McCoist

“Cannae beat a bit of AC/DC man!” And with that single, spot-on comment, McCoist cemented his status as an absolute baller of the broadcasting game. A bucketload of joy is guaranteed with every one of his stints as a co-commentator for Sky, TNT Sport and Amazon Prime but one thing often overlooked is how good his analysis is in that role, with the former Scotland striker again providing fast, fluent and fascinating reactions to the action in front of him. Hells bells, he is good.

Peter Drury

“A game of protest, of anger, of fury, of pain, of pleasure” declared Drury after Chelsea’s 4-4 draw with Manchester City in November and there, in that moment, was a perfect example of why Sky chose the 56-year-old to replace Martin Tyler as its principal commentator. Big shoes to fill that Drury has slipped into seamlessly, bringing his trademark poetry and wild energy to the role. Super Sundays have been more super this season with the only concern being increased exposure to Drury could lead to viewers becoming bored of him. For now, let’s revel in his majesty.

Jamie Carragher

Look, I am annoyed as you are about the Guardian giving one of the two most over-exposed people in football even more coverage, but the best is the best and there is little denying Carragher proved himself to be that again this season. As a pundit, on Monday Night Football in particular, he again combined well-articulated and informative analysis with a healthy dose of humour, with his take on Casemiro after the Brazilian’s shockingly bad display in Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace earlier this month especially captivating.

Lucy Ward

It was a tough season for women in football media, what with a guy who once poked a lit cigar in someone’s eye taking it upon himself to regularly pick out their apparent faults. They managed to get on with their work, however, with few excelling more than Ward. The former Doncaster Belles forward was again a clear and smart voice, most notably as a co-commentator for TNT Sports, bringing a level of compassion to her analysis almost certainly influenced by her time working at Leeds’s academy.

Sue Smith

Smith gives the impression of being the type of person who would react to discovering their house was on fire with a gentle sigh before getting straight on Rightmove. Calmness and logic personified, the former England international once again required those qualities in her role as a pundit on the mad house that is Soccer Saturday, as well as when faced with the performance art piece that is Dermot Gallagher on Ref Watch. She excelled in both capacities and God bless her for that.

Mark Goldbridge

This was a season of transition for Goldbridge, the original wild thing of YouTube becoming a noticeably more mature voice on football’s big issues, namely officiating and state funding. It was an interesting shift of gear and it is credit to Goldbridge that he was able to do the new stuff while still delivering the tried and tested beats, the highlight of which was undeniably his reaction to Palace’s third goal in their 4-0 win over United. The best piece of comic timing since Del Boy fell through that bar.