User:Lukepowell23/sandbox

= Les Scott = Les Scott (born August 1952) is an English writer and broadcaster (i). Best known as a football writer and ‘ghost-writer’ of football autobiographies, many of which have appeared in the ‘Sunday Times’ Best Sellers, notably Sir Stanley Matthews autobiography, ‘As It Was’, number one in both hardback and paperback (ii) Jimmy Greaves described him as, ‘One of the best football writers of our time’ (iii). Reflecting on his autobiography of 2000, Sir Stanley Matthews said, ‘At the risk of sounding immodest, I could have chosen to work with many writers when I chose to commit my life to book form, but chose to work with Les, whose writing I have greatly admired for some years now.’ (iv). Scott has also written and performed extensively for radio, television and theatre (v)

Early Life
Scott was born on 3 August 1952 in Sunderland, Tyne-Wear, to David (a dock foreman) and Lucy Scott (a shop assistant). He had one brother, David, nine-years older, who died in 2023. Scott attended Bede Grammar School, Sunderland (1963-68) but left without any qualifications. He attended Monkwearmouth College of Further Education, Sunderland (1970-71) where he achieved both GCSE ‘O’ levels and ‘A’ level qualifications in one academic year of study. He attended Keele University/Alsager College (1971-1974) where he graduated as a Teacher. (vi)

Whilst teaching in Stoke-on- Trent (1974-1980), he began writing musical plays for young people ; comedy for BBC radio programmes such as ‘Week Ending’ and ‘The News Huddlines and TV programmes such as ‘The Two Ronnies’, ‘Not the Nine O’Clock News’, ‘Fast Forward’ and ‘Razzmatazz (ITV). (vii) In 1980, he became a full-time freelance writer.

Journalism
Scott has written extensively about football for both national and regional press (viii). He penned a twice-weekly sports column for the ‘Evening Sentinel’ (1998-2012) which was syndicated to several newspapers in the Northcliffe Group. He was the Daily/Sunday Telegraph’s Football League Correspondent, North and Midlands, (2013-2015) (ix)

Radio
Scott has appeared extensively on national and local radio. He presented ‘Saturday Sport’ on Signal Radio (1995-96) and BBC Radio Stoke’s ‘Daily Drivetime’ and ‘Saturday Sport’ programmes (1997-1999). From 2010 to 2023, he wrote and co-presented, with Den Siegertsz, ‘World Of Sport’ (BBC Radio Stoke), as well as writing some 6,000 jokes and sketches for he and Seigertsz to perform in ‘Seigertsz’ Comedy Slots’ (x)

His BBC Radio Four credits include, Off The Page and Escape From Victory, with Ian McMillan, (2006, Producer Ali Serle).

Theatre
Rockafella, with Ken Bolam and Roy Oakes, Samuel French, 1980

United We Stand, with Ken Bolam and Roy Oakes, Samuel French 1983 The Frankenstein Monster Show, with Ken Bolam. John Crocker and Tim Hampton, Samuel French 1984

Scott has acted as MC/Compere for several touring sporting theatre shows including, ‘Best and Marsh’ (with George Best and Rodney Marsh), Heroes and Villains (with Gareth Chilcott and Gareth Davies), From The Pavilion (with Freddie Trueman), A Night with Greavsie (with Jimmy Greaves), Denis Waterman at Large and The Football Nostalgia Show (with Nick Johnson of SkySports, 2023.

Television Credits include
The Two Ronnies, BBC TV, 1976-1982

Not The Nine O’Clock News BBC TV, 1979-1982

Razzmatazz, with Suzanne Dando and Alistair Pirie, ITV, 1981

Fast Forward BBC TV, 1981

Alfresco, Granada TV 1983

Roll With It, with Noddy Holder and Toyah Wilcox, Sky/Challenge, 1996 Football’s Golden Greats, Sky/Bravo, 2006

More Football Golden Greats, Sky/Bravo, 2007

Current
In addition to football writing, Scott works as a Football Match Analyst for Perform/Opta (since 2018) covering Premier League, PL2 and EFL matches.