I know its a love hate thing, but I find that he brings a game to life more than anybody. In fact when I go to a live game (usually the Villa) I can't read the play without his commentary.

But he's been missing from the schedules for a week or two and nobody's saying anything (just like they used to ignore the fact that Simon Mayo had lots of unexplained absences).

So has he finally offended one respected pundit too many, like the great Jimmy Armfield or Graham Taylor, is he ill, or did he go "pop" in indignation at one of Mark Clattenburg's decisions?

Can't say I'm missing the racist* loudmouth. He too easily confuses his role on 606 (provoke a reaction) with that of a commentator.

Also, why do the BBC let someone who will tell anyone listening that he hates Sir Alex Ferguson 'on a personal level' commentate on Man Utd matches?

(*see comments made about Eric Djemba Djemba and Sun Jihai)

Intrigued about Simon Mayo and 'unexplained absences' though. Not something I'd noticed. Alien abduction?

Glad he is missing a man who has forgotten he is there to commentate not pursue his own personal vendetta and agenda.

Can't say I'm missing him. We want to hear about the footie, Alan, not you…

I think he's OK – he at least have a base of knowledge (a fair amount) and is prepared to put himself out there. He does cross the line, but compare and contrast with Mark 'third chucklebrother' Lawrenson, or 'grandad's forgotten where his medicine is' Motson.
Has he been taken off the air for a couple of weeks a la Stuart Hall for dodgy remarks? Maybe he's just on holiday?

Tell me about Simon Mayo.

Completely biased towards LFC and a complete bigot, slagging off refs all the time. Wouldnt miss him from 5live at all.

I dunno about Simon Mayo. About 2 or 3 years ago you just used to hear "This is Phil Williams sitting in for Simon Mayo" quite a lot. It hasn't happened recently so I wonder if he had a health problem that he's now got over.

And on a different Radio 5 topic – How crap is Richard Bacon???

Me, me, me, aren't I irritating, how mad am I?

At least his co-presenters (weather, traffic, sport boys) hate him too and keep making snidey remarks that he's too thick to get.

Everybody and everything he talks about is "wonderful"- except, oddly enough, the Haiti record.

And don't get me started on Gabriele Marcotti..

Tell me about Gabriele Marcotti.

I said don't get me started… 😉

Simon Mayo is on Radio 2 now.

Tell me about Gabriele Marcotti.

Spoony is much better on 606, but Greeny is a legend of sorts.

I'm not keen on Alan Green just because he hates SAF.

And why shouldn't anyone other than a manU fan hate Ferguson anyway? The guy's a prick. Green is by far the best commentator that Radio 5 have for football.

Mayo's a big miss in the afternoon stretch on R5, always got plenty of intelligent/funny/intersting people on the show. I'm mostly home by the time he starts his show on R2 now.

Gab Marcotti, don't get me started. Still could be worse Ray Houghton on talksport..jeez

Yeah I'm missing simon Mayo on R5. That Twunt Bacon, coke sniffing pillock. Simon Mayo you'd like to listen to chatting to other interesting people, Bacon's like that annoying poorly educated ignorant person you get stuck with in the pub. I'm glad he return on fridays, it's a relief.

only gripe I've got with Green is that he slates the refs over points of law that he clearly has no knowledge of. If he'd read the LOAF occasionally I'd consider his opinions more valid. Same can be said for many of the current crop of pundits even.

Yes, but why has Greeny gone missing without his absence being mentioned?

His feud with Alex Ferguson dates from the time when he was given misleading information by Man Utd about their line-up and went public with it.