Commentators walk a knife edge.
Within 90 minutes, their narration of a game has to potential to become synonymous with a moment of triumph, their tones impressed upon the memories of fans the nation over.
Take Martin Tyler - a man whose voice has featured on hundreds of hours of Premier League footage, but who will be best remember for this moment...
But such is the fickle world of football, should a commentator buckle under the pressure and fudge the lines, should a turn of phrase escape their grasp and come out an ugly mess, the effects are just as memorable.
Take these, 10 of the best blunders from the world of football.
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‘It’s only Ray Parlour!’
Tim Lovejoy, as Ray Parlour scored the winning goal
2002 FA Cup Final
Arsenal v Chelsea
‘For those of you watching in black and white, Spurs are playing in yellow’
John Motson
1997
(Image: Rex)
‘They’re the second best team in the world, and there’s no higher praise than that’
Kevin Keegan
Discussing the skills of Argentina
‘If that had gone in, that would have been a goal’
David Coleman
‘With the very last kick of the game, Bobby McDonald scored with a header’
Alan Parry
(Image: Rex)
‘Well, it’s Ipswich nil, Liverpool two, and if that’s the way the score stays then you’ve got to fancy Liverpool to win’
Peter Jones
‘The ball came off the left breast of Sebastien Bassong’
Sam Matterface
‘If you cut Jamie Carragher open, he’ll bleed red’
Clive Tyldesley
2005 Champions Leauge
Chelsea vs Liverpool
(Image: Rex)
‘They were numerically outnumbered’
Garry Birtles
‘The thing about goalscorers is that they score goals’
Tony Cottee
