Reports of John Motson’s retirement have been greatly exaggerated.

Yes, you read that right. The sheepskin is back. It never left and the voice of football in Britain for the past 50 years can soon be heard on talkSPORT.

Motty has seen and done it all in football, whether verbally jousting with Cloughie, calling the action on some of football’s most iconic moments or becoming the first UK sports broadcaster to have his own Twitter emoji (it involved the sheepskin).

2 John Motson has joined talkSPORT

“It didn’t take long to come out of retirement because talkSPORT is a great place to talk football,” he said. “I’m looking forward to joining the team, commentating on this great game for sometime longer and speaking to a host of footballing legends for a series of shows for fans to re-live the best of football past and present.”

2 Motson in one of his made to measure sheepskin coats

Starting next month, his dulcet tones will be heard across the station, including live commentary of a selection talkSPORT’s exclusive Premier League fixtures as well as further analysis and opinion.

Each Monday and Friday with Hawksbee and Jacobs (weekdays from 1pm) he will be reviewing and previewing all the football action plus later this year he will interview some of his favourite players in ‘Motty’s Magnificent XI’ nostalgia shows.

The move follows the talkSPORT network covering every game of the World Cup in Russia – we were the only broadcasters to do so by the way.

What a signing.

Listen to Hawksbee and Jacobs on 25 July between 1pm and 2pm to hear the man himself discuss his summer transfer