The Goal Rush
Encyclopedia
The Goal Rush was a live ITV
television programme that aired from 2001 to 2003 produced by Granada Television
. The programme was broadcast on Saturdays as a rival show to Final Score
on BBC One
, and provided live football scores from the Premier League and the Football League. ITV ran the programme during the two of the three seasons that it held the rights to show Premier League highlights. After the rights were lost, The Goal Rush was axed. Coverage began on ITV2
and then continued on ITV1
from 4pm. The programme was presented by Angus Scott
.
, ITV Controller of Sport. The programme was a replacement for Football First which had aired exclusively on ITV2
since that channel had launched in late 1998. It was described as having the style and feel of the Bloomberg News channel. It first aired on 18 August 2001 after ITV won the rights to Premier League highlights. The format was similar to that which is used by the BBC's
Score
and Sky's
Soccer Saturday
; with live match reports, on screen scores and a ticker
.
Each episode started at 2:30pm on Saturdays on ITV's digital channel, ITV2. At varying times after 4pm the coverage would switch to ITV1. The service was hosted by presenter Angus Scott
, and former footballer and football manager Ron Atkinson
provided expert analysis. Other analysts included Clive Allen
who still provides analysis for ITV, Paul Elliott, Jim Beglin
and John Barnes
who later moved on to work on football programmes for Five.
on BBC One
.
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
television programme that aired from 2001 to 2003 produced by Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
. The programme was broadcast on Saturdays as a rival show to Final Score
Final Score
Final Score is a BBC TV programme produced by BBC Sport. The programme is broadcast on late Saturday afternoons in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, usually on BBC ONE. BBC Northern Ireland opts away during the last ten minutes to cover local results, BBC Scotland runs a different programme...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
, and provided live football scores from the Premier League and the Football League. ITV ran the programme during the two of the three seasons that it held the rights to show Premier League highlights. After the rights were lost, The Goal Rush was axed. Coverage began on ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
and then continued on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
from 4pm. The programme was presented by Angus Scott
Angus Scott
Angus Scott is a well-known and respected footballer for man united and Sports Television presenter. He previously worked for ITV Sport and Setanta Sports. He mainly covers football, but has also hosted Rugby Union and Motorsport coverage.- Early career :...
.
Format
The Goal Rush was announced in 2000 by Brian BarwickBrian Barwick
Brian Barwick is an English football administrator and the former chief executive of The Football Association having held the post from January 2005 to December 2008. He previously worked with the BBC and ITV. He is a known supporter of Liverpool F.C...
, ITV Controller of Sport. The programme was a replacement for Football First which had aired exclusively on ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
since that channel had launched in late 1998. It was described as having the style and feel of the Bloomberg News channel. It first aired on 18 August 2001 after ITV won the rights to Premier League highlights. The format was similar to that which is used by the BBC's
BBC Sport
BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as Match of the Day, Grandstand , Test Match Special, Ski Sunday, Rugby Special and coverage of Formula One motor racing, MotoGP and the Wimbledon Tennis...
Score
Final Score
Final Score is a BBC TV programme produced by BBC Sport. The programme is broadcast on late Saturday afternoons in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, usually on BBC ONE. BBC Northern Ireland opts away during the last ten minutes to cover local results, BBC Scotland runs a different programme...
and Sky's
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
Soccer Saturday
Soccer Saturday
Gillette Soccer Saturday is a weekly television programme broadcast on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the football season. The programme updates viewers on the progress of association football games in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Saturday afternoons. The current host is...
; with live match reports, on screen scores and a ticker
News ticker
A news ticker resides in the lower third of the television screen space on television news networks dedicated to presenting headlines or minor pieces of news. It may also refer to a long, thin scoreboard-style display seen around the front of some offices or public buildings...
.
Each episode started at 2:30pm on Saturdays on ITV's digital channel, ITV2. At varying times after 4pm the coverage would switch to ITV1. The service was hosted by presenter Angus Scott
Angus Scott
Angus Scott is a well-known and respected footballer for man united and Sports Television presenter. He previously worked for ITV Sport and Setanta Sports. He mainly covers football, but has also hosted Rugby Union and Motorsport coverage.- Early career :...
, and former footballer and football manager Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
provided expert analysis. Other analysts included Clive Allen
Clive Allen
Clive Darren Allen is a retired English footballer, a prolific scorer for a number of clubs.Allen is the son of ex-Tottenham Hotspur forward Les Allen, who was a member of the legendary team which won the First Division title and FA Cup "double" in 1961...
who still provides analysis for ITV, Paul Elliott, Jim Beglin
Jim Beglin
James Martin "Jim" Beglin is a former Irish professional footballer.- Life and career :Beglin played schoolboy football in his native city with Bolton and Waterford Bohs before joining Shamrock Rovers in 1980...
and John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
who later moved on to work on football programmes for Five.
Reception
The look of the service resembled the BBC's service quite closely and commentators criticised ITV for this. The programme never achieved a high number of viewers and on 6 April 2002 the show won ITV's lowest ever audience share with 3% during the broadcast of the 2002 Grand NationalGrand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.