Tony Millard

[portlock seagull]

Rip Tony and condolences to his family. Wonderful man and part of my childhood. The voice of the Albion. Peerless. Very sad news indeed.

 

[Djmiles]

RIP Tony

 

[The Andy Naylor Fan Club]

RIP Tony. Many thanks for the fine commentaries and all those memories.

 

[DumLum]

RIP Tony.

I used to love ringing the seagull line 8049 when I was a kid.

 

[saltash seagull]

Without Tony Millard and my Gran I doubt I would be an Albion fan today,growing up in Cornwall my link to the Albion was the Seagull Line and the cuttings from the Argus my Gran who lived in Burgess Hill would send me.
Always loved hearing his voice on Sky no matter what he was commenting on as it reminded,like so any other of my childhood
RIP Tony you will never be forgotten

 

[The Rivet]

I knew Tony as an associate a long time ago, since 1978 in fact, haven't seen him for over ten years but, I remember him as funny yet also serious, didn't really like fools unless there was a profit to be made. He was always professional and so enthusiastic as his commentary supports. Friendly to most. After his triple heart bi pass he regained a love of sport, particularly golf. I played with him more than once but a difficult shot out of a bunker had him saying, 'That's the best shot I have seen from an amateur in ages', made me smile. Long time ago. RIP Tony

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I must admit, I always thought he was a man who'd only be known in local circles. But the tributes paid to Tony Millard today from all across the sports journalism fraternity suggest he was far more widely recognised than that. Jonathan Pearce is one who has just mentioned him.

I'd completely forgotten he worked for Southern Sound too. In my mind, he was BBC Radio Sussex, but perhaps that was John Lees' slot.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

After a few more drinks I'm even more upset by this I feel like its a cliche to say he's an Albion legend, but he really is, in his own special way that I'm far to pissed to express, but as highlighted in this thread, I'm sure it's the opinion of many others.

I hope he is honoured tomorrow.

 

[Arrid]

That clip at 13:30 is just wonderful when he can no longer be impartial 'Maskells got it, Minton on the inside. give it to him for Christ sake'

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

I've put together a piece here with a colour photo of Tony Millard from 1983 plus some of my favourite anecdotes about him gleaned from the pages of NSC:
http://thegoldstonewrap.com/2013/08/24/tony-millard-rest-in-peace/

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

That clip at 13:30 is just wonderful when he can no longer be impartial 'Maskells got it, Minton on the inside. give it to him for Christ sake'

Especially as earlier on in the match, he'd told Gerry Ryan that he'd overstepped the mark by using the word 'bloody'!

 

[El Presidente]

I must admit, I always thought he was a man who'd only be known in local circles. But the tributes paid to Tony Millard today from all across the sports journalism fraternity suggest he was far more widely recognised than that. Jonathan Pearce is one who has just mentioned him.

I'd completely forgotten he worked for Southern Sound too. In my mind, he was BBC Radio Sussex, but perhaps that was John Lees' slot.

I know I have mentioned this before, but in 1984 there was an Albion Supporters XI v Southern Sound XI match in Portslade. Tony (although 45 at that time) was playing for Southern Sound, and played the Jan Molby role of not moving from the centre circle but spraying the ball around pretty well.

I nutmegged him and he shouted "You're not getting away with that sonny", and promptly debagged my shorts (fortunately I had something on underneath).

As a student living in Manchester, in the pre internet days, TM WAS the Albion lifeline for us exiles.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I know I have mentioned this before, but in 1984 there was an Albion Supporters XI v Southern Sound XI match in Portslade. Tony (although 45 at that time) was playing for Southern Sound, and played the Jan Molby role of not moving from the centre circle but spraying the ball around pretty well.

I nutmegged him and he shouted "You're not getting away with that sonny", and promptly debagged my shorts (unfortunately I had something on underneath).

As a student living in Manchester, in the pre internet days, TM WAS the Albion lifeline for us exiles.

nice one
regards
DR

 

[Norman Potting]

Still not made it to the Club website. It seems a different world when the only way of finding "up to the minute" news was by phone - and when it first started (any historians out there know exactly when)it was just "normal rate" phone call. When it went premium rate it was noticeable how much "padding" there was at the start! Definitely a legend.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Still not made it to the Club website. It seems a different world when the only way of finding "up to the minute" news was by phone - and when it first started (any historians out there know exactly when)it was just "normal rate" phone call. When it went premium rate it was noticeable how much "padding" there was at the start! Definitely a legend.

I wrote a piece about when it started here
http://thegoldstonewrap.com/2013/07/03/seagull-line-brighton-8049/

 

[Mo Gosfield]

I must admit, I always thought he was a man who'd only be known in local circles. But the tributes paid to Tony Millard today from all across the sports journalism fraternity suggest he was far more widely recognised than that. Jonathan Pearce is one who has just mentioned him.

You're right. He was known very widely and respected. When talking to him recently, he mentioned certain high profile ' Fleet Street journos ' who had been on the phone to him for any inside gossip on the Poyet affair. He quite rightly pointed out to them that they probably had as much idea what had been going on as he did.
Tony would be the first to admit that he didn't have ' the face ' for tv but it shouldn't have held him back. He was far better than a lot of the presenters, link-men and reporters that you see. Just not as photogenic.
A hell of a lot of people knew Tony and will be remembering him now.

 

[Norman Potting]

I've put together a piece here with a colour photo of Tony Millard from 1983 plus some of my favourite anecdotes about him gleaned from the pages of NSC:
http://thegoldstonewrap.com/2013/08/24/tony-millard-rest-in-peace/

Is it just me - I can't get this to load up and I would love to see it?

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Is it just me - I can't get this to load up and I would love to see it?

Sorry that you're having trouble loading this. Which browser are you using and do you have any other browsers you could try?

 

[Tooting Gull]

RIP Tony, and sincere condolences to family and close friends.

As so many other have said, Tony's voice brought so much important Albion news through the Seagull Line, and local radio and TV. But local journalists and broadcasters like this are known nationwide, not least (as happens to Andy Naylor) national hacks tap them up for info. Plus obviously Tony did a lot for Sky Sports as well.

Spoke to Tony at length this season at the Portsmouth v Oxford game, recognising a fellow Seagull. He looked tanned and well after another summer of his beloved umpiring, so was a real shock to get home last night and see this. Will be a big miss in media room today, sure the atmosphere will be more subdued than normal.

 

[Dave the OAP]

As someone who was fortunate enough to enjoy the Glory Years of the mid/late 70s Tony Millard was very much the voice of the Albion, and Stavos the face of the Seagull Special train on match day, with John Vinicombe's match report on a Monday.

With no Internet, the Seagull line was a lifeline, although I do recall spending a small fortune on it!

RIP Tony.

And if you remember, 99 times out of a hundred, when you dialed the number getting near the end of a game, you would hear the preamble and then..." ...and it's bad news for the albion"