As seen on Sky TV
By Harry Walton

Tuesday 15th November 2005

MILLIONS of fans all over the country switched on to Sky last night to follow Weymouth's fantastic exploits in the FA Cup.

They lost 2-0 but the pictures beamed into homes all over the country showed that Weymouth did themselves proud.

The giant television company pulled no punches for coverage of the seaside minnow's whale of a tie against former double European Cup winners Nottingham Forest.

There were four Sky Sports trucks set up at the Wessex Stadium as well as nine cameras and a staggering five kilometres of cable.

All this was run by a total of 75 staff working at the ground and back at Sky's headquarters who swiftly fired up their bumper broadcasting operation.

This included building a special camera gantry opposite the main stand from where Sky cameras swept every blade of grass on the pitch during the hotly contested first round replay.

Spearheading coverage were commentators !an Crocker and Tony Gale supported by presenter Jeff Stelling and soccer pundit and former Weymouth player-manager Steve Claridge who was back on his old stamping ground.

Weymouth-born Crocker said: "To take Forest to a replay was a fantastic achievement. It has been a great week for the town which has put Weymouth on the national map."

Presenter Jeff Stelling said: "Having an open air studio was better on a night like this because you got all the atmosphere.

"This sort of ground and this sort of tie is what football is all about. That's the glory of the FA Cup.

"There has never been a game quite like this with little Weymouth up against former double European champions Forest.

"Garry Hill is a top class manager, as good as most managers in the top half of the football league, and Weymouth will remember this night for a long time."

Enjoying the television experience more than most was Echo-Sky competition winner John Ryan, 41, from East Street, Weymouth, who collected six FA Cup tickets and a tour of Sky's operation for the big match.

He accepted them with friend and fellow Liverpool supporter Pete Chatten who celebrates his 68th birthday tomorrow.

John said: "I thought it might be a wind-up when 1 heard 1 had won.

"Weymouth have achieved so much for the town and the money from the games will help build the club's future.

"It was great to see how Sky works to cover a game like this. Very impressive. I was shocked at how many people they had here. It was like the set of a Hollywood film."

Pete said: "This was the best birthday present 1 could have had. Weymouth were a credit to their supporters."

Sky's operation included a recce of Weymouth the week before to plan cable routes, power and studio points and a host of other details.

Match day saw a huge effort to get set up after which some crew ate steaming plates of food.

Everyone just shouted and cheered the team on.

"I am disappointed they lost, but they did very well. Next year 1 hope they will go a round further."

Brian Hewson from Portland said: "They tried their best but the difference in class told in the end. If Chukki's shot had gone in who knows. Never mind, we still have the league and trophy to concentrate on."

Martyn Harrison said after the match: "They were not quite good enough and it was not to be, but it was a great occasion.

"Forest realised that they had to step up a gear in the second half and they did. It was just a great day; to get the number of people in that we did, and £200,000 is a nice little bonus from the two games."

If every Weymouth fan treasured every minute of the game then spare a thought for the streaker who galloped on clutching a plastic dolphin in the second half.

He was chased, caught and frogmarched off to a derisive tannoy comment: "Obviously a very cold night!"

Martyn Harrison said: "I am not so sure about the streaker. 1 would have preferred a woman but there you are!"

And as the last fans and cars slowly left a litter-strewn Wessex Stadium, police said that they were delighted to have only made five arrests, three for pitch invasions and two for public order offences.