Bill Turnbull: Wycombe Wanderers name gantry after broadcaster

Wycombe Wanderers have named the gantry at their Adams Park ground in honour of broadcaster Bill Turnbull.

The former BBC Breakfast host, who died last month, commentated on Chairboys' fixtures from the gantry at the back of the Frank Adams Stand, until club commentary relocated to the press box.

He often "bemoaned" the move as the view was not so good, the club said.

Moving the broadcasts back, it added that naming it The Bill Turnbull Gantry "seemed the perfect fit".

Turnbull, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018, had been a fan of the Buckinghamshire club for more than 20 years.

His association started in 2001 when he was living nearby in Beaconsfield and saw the Chairboys get to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Wanderers said he "commentated on hundreds of Chairboys' fixtures from his beloved position" on the gantry from about 2005. But after a few years, the active ISDN line was cut so the commentary team had to move to the press area in another stand, which had a "far inferior view".

Matt Cecil from the club, said: "Bill would regularly complain (in jest) and longed for a return to the gantry.

"With ISDN soon to become defunct, we've jumped the gun and found an internet solution, which means we can commentate from the gantry again.

"Naming it in his honour seemed the perfect fit as he loved commentating from there, with an incredible view over the stadium and countryside."

The commentary position was relocated to the gantry in time for Tuesday's League One fixture against Accrington Stanley, which the Chairboys won 1-0.

The renamed gantry was due to be unveiled in front of his family at last Saturday's game against Port Vale, but the match was postponed after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

It will now be arranged for a later date, the club said.

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