Peter Drury

Peter Drury was born on 24 September 1967 in England to a priest.[1] The first club he supported as a 4-year-old was West Ham United, but he has since gone on to support different clubs. He went to St John's School, Leatherhead in Surrey.[2] While growing up, Drury's commentary idol was BBC Radio's Peter Jones, who Drury describes as having a "beautiful, authoritative, and poetic voice".[3] When he was 18 and he used to see Hull City matches, he was usually the first man at Boothferry Park a couple of hours before the other spectators came flooding in. Previously, he has worked as an accountant for a period of one month after graduating from university. Before joining BBC Radio Leeds, he worked for sports journalism agency Hayter's.

Drury has been famed for his expressive and extremely literate style of commentary.[8][9] He is known for his poetic style of commentary, often using phrases such as "in a trice" instead of common language.[10] Here are some of his most famous lines throughout his commentary career:

• "Here's... Henry getting clear though. It's Thierry Henry... He scored! He's scored for Arsenal, in the Bernabéu! No more, no less than they merit! Arsenal have been the thrusting force of this tie, Thierry Henry - the Gunner Galactico! It is Real Madrid 0, Arsenal 1!" - On 21 February 2006, in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie, Thierry Henry stuns 'Los Merengues' with a brilliant solo run and goal to silence the Santiago Bernabéu, and it was the only goal of the tie, which saw the 'Gunners' advance to the quarter-finals. They would eventually reach the final on May 17, in which they lost to Barcelona after a half-time lead was cancelled out with two quick goals from Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti.[11]
• "Modise, it's a really good ball, it's Tshabalala! Goal Bafana Bafana! Goal for South Africa, goal for all Africa! Jabulela, rejoice! Bafana Bafana have popped the first cork of their day of days. 'Siph' Tshabalala!" - Siphiwe Tshabalala scoring the opening goal for hosts South Africa at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, during their opening game against Mexico on 12 June.[12]
• "But here's Messi. Away from two, three, four, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. How good is he? A mere, supernatural goal from Lionel Messi. He has wriggled and tipped toed his way to the gates at Wembley Stadium. He is just brilliant. Best player in the World, bar none." - In April 2011, Drury reiterates Messi as the World's best footballer as he scores against Barcelona's 'El Clásico' rivals Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on their way to the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final against Manchester United, which they would eventually win.[13]
• "Roma have risen from their ruins! Manolas, the Greek god in Rome! The unthinkable unfolds before our eyes! This was not meant to happen. This could not happen. It is happening. Barcelona, extraordinarily eight minutes from elimination. And Di Francesco does not know where to go, Iniesta does not know where to look. It is a Greek from Mount Olympus who has come to the Seven Hills of Rome, and pulled off a miracle." - Roma coming back from a 4–1 first leg deficit to beat Barcelona 3–0 and advance on away goals to the UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals in 2018.[14]
• "Madeira, Manchester, Madrid, Turin and Manchester again. Wreathed in red, restored to this great gallery of the game, a walking work of art. Vintage beyond valuation, beyond forgery or imitation. 18 years since that trembling teenager of touch and tease, first tip-toed onto this storied stage. Now in his immaculate maturity, CR7 re-united." - Ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo's second debut for Manchester United on 11 September 2021. Ronaldo would score twice in a 4-1 Premier League victory over Newcastle.[15]
• "The man is a storybook all by himself. There is no work of fiction more fanciful. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gives thanks again for the scattering of the magical dust available only seemingly to Cristiano Ronaldo who can reach areas other footballers cannot just reach. Whose grasp of the improbable is utterly unique. And whose timing, whose maximizing of the moment, is unparalleled surely anywhere in the history of the game."[16]