You know football is back when people are complaining about the commentators.
And while the Football League doesn’t start back until next week, and the Premier League until the following week, Thursday night marked the unofficial return of football.
Everton’s Europa League tie against Ruzomberok provoked a stronger reaction than one would expect and mainly thanks to the man in the gantry for ITV.
Andy Townsend was in and around Goodison Park for Everton’s one-nil victory and back on commentary duty for ITV. The reaction was inevitable. Townsend worked on the channel for 15 years, until 2015 when they decided not to renew his contract after losing the rights to live coverage of the Champions League.
At the time, a lot of people seemed inordinately happy that a man had lost his job. Townsend wasn’t the most popular co-commentator around, and regularly received criticism that’s now reserved for Michael Owen. It appears the masses, or at least those who watched the game and posted on Twitter about it, weren’t too happy about his return.
I longed for the return of competitive #football on TV. I forgot that meant #AndyTownsend would be back on our screens#Everton #EVERUZ #efc
— Daniel Minsky MRICS (@danielminsky) July 27, 2017
I thought we've seen the last of Andy Townsend commentating on football? Obviously fucking not. Annoying as fuck ✊ "Clive" #itv
— Ashley Amoré (@DJAshleyAmore) July 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/anaIdirgeprat/status/890669202369003520
I’ve agreed with Andy Townsend on numerous times tonight,I need to be sectioned.
— kb (@KBURKE1878) July 27, 2017
He's played more forward passes… probably. Excellent punditry as always #andytownsend
— Karen (@I_See_M0nsters) July 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/skybattalion/status/890667480783388672
Andy Townsend on @itvfootball pic.twitter.com/8qPX0zr4AA
— Chipstead Gas #UTG ⚽️ (@Chipstead_Gas) July 27, 2017
Oh God.
Andy Townsend's back.
— Darren Oakley (@Darren_Oakley) July 27, 2017
Andy Townsend with the first ridiculous "He should have scored there" of the season #EuropaLeague #Badpundits
— James Lowson (@jimmylowson) July 27, 2017
Andy Townsend with his typical non-biased commentary 🙄 #evevruz
— Mark Young (@maphyo79) July 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/ALilSliceofLime/status/890660109902385152
Forgot what a whopper Andy Townsend is.
— Paul Drury (@Drury83) July 27, 2017
Andy Townsend will be thrilled to know that they were just talking about him on the Slovak commentary here 😂
— Matt Harrison (@MattLostBoyo) July 27, 2017
I blame Andy Townsend for that sluggish performance. Have u ever seen England play well when he comentats? ITV please get rid.
— James Houghton (@jamesh5500) July 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/JamieSmiff/status/890651243378425856
