Just seen that PN is stepping down from the BBC Essex broadcasting team. Will miss his commentaries and it is a shame that the trio of Newton, Davies and Gledhill has ended. I know it is common knowledge that he has had health problems so wish him a long retirement.
I've just happened upon your post, Andy. I had no idea Paul had retired.
My earliest memories of listening to Paul, and indeed Dick and Nick Gledhill were on the old BBC Essex MW 1531 on a Sunday afternoon, in the Sunday League, I believe in the day's when the only broadcast radio commentary was of that competition - and long before the migration to online. Think BBC Essex had a little caravan vehicle, akin to an ice cream van that used to sit at the top of the open seating beyond the River Stand.
I often disagreed with what PN said, but found his ability to enunciate so well, bringing the game to life and having the effortless means to speak without endless repetition during a tedious third-afternoon of a County Championship game for example.
Most fondly, I'll recall his ability and independent thought when he and Dick rightly criticised some questionable (I'm being generous) decision making on and off the pitch from ECCC. I clearly recall the Club getting defensive and refusing to do interviews - No loss there!, for a certain period when Irani, Fletcher and East were making the Club a laughing stock.
One stands out, not sure if PN was on commentary, but the aforementioned DE in his CEO role, was being interviewed at a Sunday League match at either Colchester or Southend, in front of a packed out ground - spouting something along the lines of; that '
people don't watch cricket at the weekend any longer', to which Paul or Dick stated that he was obviously referring about all other matches apart from the one he was speaking from live. Comedic genius!!
Hope you have a happy retirement, Paul.
