Clive Tyldesley was like many of us who grew up as football fanatics - he fell in love with the game and followed one team - but quickly realised he loved every team.
After growing up as a Manchester United supporter in the 1970s, he developed what he calls an 'intoxicating romance' with watching games. Seven World Cups and eight European Championships later - as well as 20 Champions League finals in a row - the broadcaster is seen as the true voice of football.
From Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's last minute winner for Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League final to Wayne Rooney's debut stunner and plenty of England heartache, Tyldesley has seen it all.
Since illegally listening to radio commentaries as a schoolboy and taking the punishment for it the next day, calling out footballers' names has been the only thing he ever saw for himself as a career.
Clive Tyldesley grew up as a Man United supporter but soon fell in love with every team as he launched his career as a commentator
'I can't put shelves up!' he tells Sportsmail, when asked why he wanted to be a commentator as a youngster.
'My mum would tell you it's what I always wanted to do. There is a magic in broadcasting - to this day I have no idea how my voice travels from Moldova to a house in Mansfield.
'I'm lucky to do this job. I was never good enough to be a football player. I had a fascination with the coverage of football from an early age and I'm as excited and engaged in the profession today as I was when I got my first break.'
Tyldesley's passion for his job is no surprise given the journey he has been on with the game as it has evolved - with a front row seat to watch the most epic and agonising matches across the decades.
Tyldesley has presided over seven World Cups and eight European Championships
He savours his ability to sum up 'heartbeats' of the game to create special memories for fans
Since the retirement of Brian Moore in 1998, he had the most coveted gig in the business as ITV's lead commentator, summing up what he calls 'heartbeats' of the beautiful game while the rest of us live out the experience at home.
'These moments are up there with births and marriages and deaths that define people's progress in life,' he tells me. 'Where were you? If you were sat round the TV and my dulcet tones were part of the experience then my responsibility is to try to be a part of your memories of that moment.'
But that viewing experienced has changed throughout the decades - fans don't just sit round one TV anymore, they watch on multiple screens, on their phones, in crowded pubs and bars.
'It [used to be] a more personal, intimate experience,' he says. 'Gatherings in pubs don't listen. Our kids don't come back talking about the commentator because they haven't heard him. The relationship has changed, the public now have an instant means of reviewing your work. That brings a different kind of scrutiny to it.'
Tyldesley has become known as the voice of football but acknowledges the viewing experience has changed over the years
Last summer, Tyldesley was left coming to terms with a crushing change - the biggest he had experienced in his career.
ITV announced that talkSPORT's Sam Matterface would become their main man in the gantry - with Tyldesley demoted to number two. While he respected their decision - and has nothing but respect for the man who replaced him - to say he was unhappy with it would be an understatement.
More than a year on from that heartwrenching day, Tyldesley remains busier than ever. A man of his talents was always going to be in demand - he has since joined CBS in the United States to front their Champions League coverage, and also has work coming up for Amazon Prime and Rangers TV - that's all before Christmas.
But the fact someone took his dream role away from him before he was ready to pass on the torch will always sting.
ITV made a huge change last summer to instal Sam Matterface as their new lead commentator and demote Tyldesley to No 2 after 23 years of service
'I don't want to start rocking in an arm chair and be reflective because I'm still busy,' he says. 'My life has changed a little bit, but I'm not a front line worker. I don't save lives. My job is not serious in the greatest scheme of things. Infection rates are rising, inflation is rising, there are Russian troops on the Ukranian border - people aren't going to be marching on Parliament over ITV's choice of commentator.
'But I am serious about the work I do, so it's a serious blow when someone takes the most prized part of that work away from you before you feel you're ready to let go.
'I can't watch an England game on TV without wishing I was still commentating on it. But we are all a matter of opinion and I respect the people who took the decision to replace me. I respect the capabilities of the man who has replaced me.
He cannot hide the pain of watching England without being in the gantry, admitting it was a 'serious blow' to lose the job he loved
'You get on with life. I have accepted it. It's not like I'm holding out for a reselection, Sam is going to be doing that role for many years to come and he commentates in a different way. That's the consolation for me - if it was someone similar who was mimicking my style that really would have been upsetting. They've gone in a different direction.'
Tyldesley - who details the biggest moments of his career in his autobiography Not For Me Clive - received plenty of support from England fans who had listened to him over the decades, but he was forced to take action when he started getting calls from producers asking if he was unwell or did something terrible.
He released a video on social media, insisting he was in perfect health and hadn't done anything to trigger the move from ITV, but admitted he was 'baffled, annoyed and upset' to lose the job he loved in a clip that went viral.
'It wasn't out of disrespect to ITV or Sam Matterface,' he stresses. 'They're people I know well. I feel very much the same to this day. I don't feel wronged when I watch matches, I just wish it was me. There's only one man with his hand on the microphone. I lost a role which I loved doing and that's it.
'I'm a lucky man in all aspects of life. This is my freelance life now. It's brought a variety to the nature of the challenge that I didn't have before. Hopefully it strengthens me as well as pays the mortgage.'
One of the biggest joys of Tyldesley's career has been following the Three Lions.
While there have been highs - travelling all over the world to cover games as well as watching England win their first ever shootout against Colombia at the 2018 World Cup - he's also been there for the shootout defeats and the performances to forget.
He will never forget arguably their darkest day after losing to minnows Iceland in the Euro 2012 last 16, which he called 'the most abject failure that I can recall'.
Tyldesley has
