Bill Leslie
About
Bill Leslie
Football Commentator
Early Career
Bill Leslie began his broadcasting journey at Capital Gold, a London radio station, where he started as a football reporter and secondary commentator. He later took over the lead commentary role in 2002 following the departure of Jonathan Pearce to the BBC.
Leslie’s first venture into television commentary came in 2002, when he covered the UEFA Under-21 Championship for Channel Five.
Sky Sports Career
Leslie joined Sky Sports in 2003, initially focusing on the UEFA Champions League. He played a key role in launching Football First in 2004, where he provided commentary for the first “Game of the Day” between Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic at the start of the 2004–2005 season.
After the departure of Ian Crocker to Setanta Sports in 2006, Leslie became Sky’s principal commentator for the Football League and also took over coverage of Scottish football. He covered all of Scotland’s home matches and Scottish Cup matches broadcast live by Sky Sports.
Notable Commentaries
Bill Leslie has been part of many significant football commentaries, including:
- 2007 Scottish Cup Final
- Scotland’s home victory over France in 2007
- Championship Play-Off Finals from 2007 to 2016
- UEFA Under-21 Championships in 2007
Premier League and Other Coverage
Leslie’s Premier League debut for Sky Sports came in the 2004–2005 season with the Birmingham City vs. Aston Villa match, shown on the PremPlus service. He went on to commentate on the opening match of the Premier League season between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion, along with various other live Premier League matches.
In addition to Premier League football, Leslie has commentated on numerous Celtic UEFA Champions League matches, except those involving Manchester United.
Today, he is most often heard as the lead commentator for Sky Sports, covering Premier League and EFL Championship matches.
Bill Leslie is a prominent voice in football commentary, known for his detailed and passionate coverage of domestic and international football across various competitions.