ITV commentator Sam Matterface tells fans to take day off during England win over Denmark in Euro semi final
Published: 14:26, 08 July 2021
Updated: 14:27, 08 July 2021
Commentator Sam Matterface's remarks in the closing stages of England's triumph over Denmark in last night's Euros semi final have divided fans across the country.
The Dartford-born man behind the mic launched into a bemusing speech as the Three Lions came through in a nerve-jangling 2-1 extra time win at Wembley.
Towards the end of the game, Matterface's shot-calling turned a little bizarre as he said fans should "call your boss, you ain't coming in in the morning".
He said: "I tell you what, if this comes off, you can do what you want tonight. You've had a terrible 16-months.
"Kids you can stay up, don't you dare go to bed. The rest of you call your boss, you ain't coming in in the morning.
"You deserve this, England deserves this. Feel it, ride it. All that pent up emotion which is 50 seconds away.
"Just try to be safe and follow the rules, or I'm going to be in one hell of a lot of trouble."
Reactions to the 43-year-old's monologue on Twitter were less than kind with people referring to it as a "disasterclass" and another joking that the game had brought the country together by wishing that Matterface and co-commentator Lee Dixon would stop talking.
He replaced Clive Tyldesley as ITV's main England commentator at the start of the 2020/21 season.
Matterface made his radio debut in 1992 for hospital radio station OHR and joined commercial radio aged 16.
The presenter joined BBC Radio Kent in 1998 and moved to Capital Radio Sport a year later.
Between 2001 and 2007 he presented the breakfast show and hosted Portsmouth FC coverage on 107.4 The Quay.
He even appeared on Deal or No Deal between August and October 2006 and on his 34th show was called to the chair but only won £99.
Matterface joined Sky Sports News in July 2007 where he met his first wife Natalie Sawyer, a fellow sports TV broadcaster.
He now works on ITV and TalkSport radio.
In 2018, Matterface was confirmed as the commentator for ITV's Dancing on Ice.
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Matt Leclere