John and I used to do consecutive programmes on Saturdays and Sundays from the launch, but I'm damned if I can recall the exact slots, or which of us took over from the other, but what we had in common (apart from a love of the business) was that we were both Continuity Announcers (possibly the most boring job in the world) - me at Granada, and John at Border TV in Carlisle.

Lord knows how and why John ended up in the deconsecrated church, but for my part it was because Keith Macklin (smashing bloke) had heard that Piccadilly and I were parting company and tracked me down to offer me a gig full time. However, I'd landed the continuity job at Granada, on very good money, and wanted to try TV, so I turned him down, but agreed to do weekends.

That was a problem at Granada, since the contract was (theoretically) exclusive - but Mike Scott was approached by Keith and me, and agreed that I could do it. (It did entail some shift-swapping at Granada, but they didn't seem to mind too much.)

I presented Red Rose sport during the footie season for one season, or maybe two, which was huge fun. Keith covered B'burn Rovers, and one of the greatest guys in radio, Ian Winter, looked after (I think) Burnley. In the txm area, though, we also had Preston North End, of course, and one other, and I can't for the life of me think who it was. (Definitely not Bolton, though - that was in Piccadilly's patch back then.)

RR didn't have anything like the resources I'd been used to at Piccadilly, (I did Saturday Sport there, as well as my daytime Mon-Fri show) and it was noticeable in the sport programme especially, but we muddled through, somehow.

Incidentally, I was the person responsible for Beswick's departure to GMR - after 6 months at Granada I joined BBC Manchester to present the regional news on the then-new Breakfast Time (remember Frank and Selina on the sofa?) and was lured back into radio with Radio Manchester, which we re-branded as GMR. They asked me to do breakfast, I wouldn't (as I HATE early starts!) but suggested Beswick for the gig. The rest, as they say, is geography. (Or is it maths?)

Anyway, great site - nice to see memories are being kept alive!