Scottish Cup 2024: Premier Sports broadcaster opens up on career in commentary
Rory Hamilton poses with mic for former broadcaster BT Sport.
From almost windsailing at Gayfield to ‘toned down’ Kenny McLean induced celebrations in Oslo, Rory Hamilton opens up on his career in broadcasting.
On a strangely sunny afternoon in the north of the Norwegian capital, the near-26,000 people inside the Ullevaal Stadion, nor the millions watching at home can quite believe what they’ve seen.
Manchester City’s superstar striker Erling Haaland, straight off the back of a treble-winning campaign at club level that saw him score 52 goals, stands helpless on the sidelines.
Arsenal’s revolutionary skipper Martin Odegaard can only watch in green-eyed jealousy, the Scottish players adorned in white and azure can’t contain themselves, nor can the travelling Tartan Army. As delirium engulfs the Ullevaal, one man has to keep his cool in relaying the scenes to the viewers at home.
Well, at least slightly.
Rory Hamilton, a man who would walk 500 miles for the Tartan Army, is one of the most recognisable voices in Scottish sport today.
Football has been a lifelong love for the Helensburgh native, who recalled his early interest in working in a sporting environment: “When you eventually realise it’s not going to be you playing out there, you kind of give up on that dream. But I always think that, you may not have the attributes, the skills, the talent to make it at that very elite level but you might have other skills in other departments.”
Hamilton started his career working in TV, and admits that commentary was something he took an interest in later, having rubbed shoulders with the likes of broadcasting legend Archie Macpherson in his time at Scotsport and Setanta.
A first football experience came on the shores of Arbroath, when the Lichties were defeated 4-0 by Rangers in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup in 2012. Hamilton couldn’t help but laugh, recalling the game: “People often think, if they’re not too into Scottish football, they probably think that it’s a glamorous job.
I remember we went up to the gantry there, and it was attached to opposite the main stand at Gayfield.
They couldn’t put a roof on the gantry because it would have acted as a sail and it was so windy, of course, and they would have blown not only our gantry, but also the roof of the stand into the sea, which is like five metres behind you!
We actually had to get harnessed in to attach us to the gantry and then they obviously had no roof. So I’ve just done pages and pages of notes, I’ve got everything prepped because it’s a big, big moment of my career and then of course five seconds before the teams come out, it just starts chucking it down and all my notes are just mushed.”
The unforgiving eastern winds couldn’t be more contrasting with some of the places Hamilton’s job has taken him. The commentator has covered some of the biggest games in European competition and international sport.
“Games that are 60,000, 70,000, 80,000s [in attendance] are easy, you can let a crowd narrate the game for you. I want to hear it, I want to hear what a crowd in St. Petersburg or Atletico Madrid sounds like in comparison to in Glasgow.”
Despite appearing at some of Europe’s finest arenas, it’s clear just how much passion Hamilton has for football in his home nation.
“Tannadice I always think has got a great atmosphere for Dundee derbies, are one of my favourite games in Scotland. Tynecastle, all these places they make different noises that are really unique to them.
You can tell some of the stories that aren’t as well known. If you’re doing a really top-level game, there are no quirky stories left to be told because they’re all out there.”
To narrate Scotland’s Euros journey however, was something truly special for a man that has followed his nation far and wide for nearly 20 years.
“I’ve travelled home and away with Scotland since my first game, which was 2006 away to Lithuania, we beat them 2-1, Kenny Miller and Christian Dailly scored, and ever since then travelled all over the continent, watching Scotland.”
The broadcaster admitted that it was a tough decision to start going to games in a professional capacity, and losing that fan experience he enjoyed so much, but that his enthusiasm made him a great candidate for the role.
“Every goal that goes in, I’m having to draw it back a little bit because you can’t obviously celebrate it as you would as a fan.
So even Kenny McLean’s in Oslo that’s me reeling in a little bit! “
Audible celebrations alongside co-commentator and former Scotland international Michael Stewart was one of the campaign highlights.
Stewart, Chris Sutton, Ally McCoist, Stephen Craigan and pretty much any top co-commentator has worked alongside Hamilton in their time.
The latter remained tight-lipped about who he thought was the best, but waxed lyrical about each and every one of them and the different skills they bring.
“Stephen Craigan is probably the best researched, understands the rules better than the rest.
Michael you get really good interesting points, he’s never wrong.
Chris really keeps you on your toes and Ally’s unbelievable, you get to piggyback off everyone’s love for him!”
The Scottish Cup final presents another major event for Hamilton.
Fellow Helensburgh native, and Premier Sports presenter Emma Dodds, talked up the game: “I genuinely can’t wait, I thrive on the atmosphere in these games.
To have the game back at Hampden will be truly fascinating and for me I’ll argue anyone to the last breath that it’s the best derby in the world. I think a lot of people have decided what’s already going to happen but I reckon there’s going to be way more twists and turns to come.”
As to his favourite game in his commentary days, Hamilton raved about the Hibs 5-5 Rangers, Christopher Jullien inspiring Celtic to victory over Lazio and Rangers reaching the Europa League final, but only had eyes for Oslo.
“It was a nothing game. It really was but just for what happened in those 121 seconds or whatever the SFA keep putting up on Twitter and I watched it every single time.”
https://youtu.be/2ki3gcu5P7s?si=FHY8nSatVbs1a6r_
