TOM ROSS

HEAD OF MEDIA

Tom Ross – is Birmingham born and bred from an Irish Mom and a Scottish Dad.

His hard work ethic came from his late father who gave him his life’s mantra.

1) Live your life by your standards and not anyone else’s

2) Never be ashamed to pick up you wages (in other words work hard and earn every penny)

3) Never do anyone any harm but never let anyone take the p**s

Tom started reporting for Birmingham’s BRMB Radio station in 1981 and left in 2016 after nearly 36 years. He was group head of sport for 23 years achieving the stations largest ever sports audience and was market leader in the West Midlands on Saturday afternoons.

Tom’s commentary style is all about passion as he explains “If we can’t be passionate, enthusiastic and excited about the sport we are watching how can we expect the listener to be?”

Tom is extremely active on social media with over 107’000 followers on Twitter and Facebook.

REPORTING TIMELINE

1977

Tom started reporting on football for BBC Radio WM His first game was a Birmingham preseason friendly against AJAX in 1977.

1981

1997

Tom also hosted the Capital Gold Breakfast show for 11 years from 1997

2009

In 2009 when BRMB along with Merica Wyvern Beacon and Heart 106 as well as the respective Gold Stations was sold to ORION Media Tom was given the opportunity to link up with the new CEO Phil Riley whom he had worked at BRMB with in the 80’s.

2009

ORION offered Tom the chance to become the Group Head of Sport. Tom was the main commentator but provided around 250 live commentary games per season on various frequencies covering Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City. All under the Goalzone banner.

2016

In 2016 after 35 years Tom quit Free Radio/BRMB after the company was bought by the Bauer Media group and they decided that doing live football commentary was too expensive. Tom now reports for talkSPORT and also reports on Premier League games for Independent Radio News (Sky News Radio) for use by every local radio station in the country.

2017

In 2017 Tom was approached by local TV Company Made in Birmingham to bring his GOALZONE radio programme to the screen. This was remarkably successful and before long was also hosting a Monday night “SPORTSLINE” programme.

JOINING BKB

In 2016 he was asked if he fancied providing live commentary on Bare Knuckle Boxing for the only legal company in the world BKBtm

2020

Despite being reticent at first Tom has grown to love the sport and was appointed BKBtms Head of Media in 2020. His commentary team are Robin Reid, Glenn McCrory and Robin Black.

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AWARDS

Tom has won a number of Sony Awards (Radios Oscars) rds which include

1985
Best Sports Coverage

1997
Sports Broadcaster

2003
Keep Right on To the Premiership

2009
The Sports Forum with Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill

Tom was the first Brummie to win a coveted New York Radio Gold Medal for his coverage of the 1997 Coca Cola Cup Final beating 2500 other countries to lift the award.

2011
In 2011 He received the IRN GOLD award in London for 30 years outstanding contribution to radio

2012
In 2012 his coverage/commentary of the Carling Cup Final won the IRN Sports story of the year award.

Tom won the SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR award at the Midlands Press awards.

2016
In 2016 He became the local journalist to be made a life member of the prestigious Birmingham Press Club for services to Radio, one of only 32 awarded in its 155 year history.

He is alongside Jasper Carrott, Sir John Major, Sir Trevor MacDonald, Greg Dyke, Sir Cliff Richard, Lord Archer, Jeremy Vine, Steven Knight, Peter O’Toole and Chris Tarrant.

2017
In 2017 he received an “OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO MIDLANDS FOOTBALL FANS” award from Lord Mayor Carl Rice on behalf of football supporters.

In 2017 He received a “LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT” award from Birmingham.

HIGHLIGHTS

Being the oldest centre page spread in “Smash Hits” after finding Robbie Williams who had gone missing from the pop group Take That.

In 2004 He was the first to react after the Tsunami disaster by holding a 27-hour Radiothon just days after the disaster struck raising £147’000 pounds.

In 2007 he made his acting debut playing the plumber in the hilarious “Mrs Brown’s last Wedding” comedy play with his friend Brendan O’Carroll at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre.

Tom plays the guitar and is also part of the “Bluenose Brothers” with his pal Ian Danter They have released 5 songs including the very successful “Singing the Blues”

Also, in 2009 he raised £17’000 for ACORNS Children’s Hospice by going into the boxing ring for 3 rounds with former World Champion John H Stracey. Tom took plenty of punishment in front of 500 people at Birmingham’s Holiday Inn hotel.

He has been featured in the Times in 2003 and the Daily Telegraph in 2007 as well as being featured in OK Magazine in the late 1990’s

Some of his humorous and quirky quotes have been used in various books including one titled s “Tell Him He’s Pele… and get him back on”

Also talked about in various autobiographies including Robbie Savages’, David Gold’s, Ted McMinn, Kash “The Flash” Gill, and Ally Robertsons’

In 2016 He wrote and published his best-selling Autobiography called “The Games Gone” that stayed in the Amazon best sellers’ charts for a year.

Tom an ambassador and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Help Harry Help Others charity that provides help for all those suffering from Cancer with over 1.3 million pounds donated to those who need it most.

He is also Chairman of the Upraw Mental Health Foundation’s Board of Trustees which provides professional Counselling for the 16-35 age group

Tom started the Birmingham City lues All Stars charity football team in 1992 which has helped to raise over 1.6 million pounds for local charitable causes and continues to do so.

He is also Chairman of the Birmingham City Former Players Association

Tom is also an active ambassador for the South and City College where he was appointed President to succeed the late Sir Doug Ellis.

He is also an ambassador for the Geoff Horsfield foundation that provides accommodation for the homeless as well as clothes and food.