‘Voice of Doncaster Rovers’ dies with wife in M1 crash

The couple, who were aged 76 and 77 and lived in the Firth Park area of the city, died after their car was involved in a collision on the M1 northbound carriage between Junction 33 for Rotherham and 34 for Meadowhall.

Mr Bradley wrote a non-league football column for the Sheffield Telegraph and was a well-known figure in the local amateur football scene.

He was also known as the ‘Voice of Doncaster Rovers’ and was BBC Radio Sheffield’s voice at Belle Vue during the majority of Rovers’ Conference era, as well as being the station’s non-league football expert for many years.

Mr Bradley had been made president of the H-K-L North Midlands Development Football League just last week in recognition of his ‘dedicated and relentless commitment to local football over the years’.

He was a previous director and treasurer of the Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA, a former amateur referee and was also secretary of Firth Park Bowling Club.

Officials from Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA said everyone at the organisation was ‘shocked and saddened by the news’ of their deaths.

Brian Jones, chairman of the Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA, said: “Our thoughts at this time go out to Brian and Judy’s family and close friends.

“Brian’s work with and in local football, particularly the County Senior League, over the years has been first class, everyone will also remember fondly his work in the past with Radio Sheffield and, of course, he reported on many local games for the local press.

“A sad day and time for all who knew Brian and Judy.”

Mr Bradley was a life member of S&HCFA, having previously being a long-standing member of the Board.

He refereed in the local Sheffield & Hallamshire leagues from 1956 to 1965, before having a break and then rejoining the referees’ ranks from 1970 to 1980.

He worked as chief district auditor and a local newsagent, while he also had a weekly column with the Sheffield Telegraph and covered non-league football on a freelance basis for Radio Sheffield for 24 years.

His involvement in grassroots football included time serving as Fixtures Secretary for the County Senior League and chairman of the Midland County FA.

After the crash on the M1 northbound between junctions 33 and 34, the motorway was closed in both directions as South Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the Highways Agency responded to the incident.

Earlier in the week, a huge lorry blaze closed the M1 near Chesterfield: Dramatic pictures of lorry blaze