Peterborough United to provide free live match commentaries on Peterborough Community Radio

The club faced a mini revolt on behalf of older fans after scrapping the live match broadcasting rights of BBC Radio Cambs’ in favour of commentaries on the subscription-based and internet-reliant Posh Plus service.

BBC Cambs sidelined

But after a petition was raised to try and reverse the decision and a leading Posh fans’ group condemned the decision, club chairman Darragh MacAnthony pledged to ensure older fans would not miss out.

Darragh’s pledge

And the upshot is a free-to-air service available for all fans on city-based station PCR (Peterborough Community Radio) for the entire 2023-24 season.

Posh will alao host 'listener events’ for older fans at the Weston Homes Stadium when the team are playing away from home, starting with the first game of the League One season at Reading on August 5.

Tech help will also be given for those who want to join Posh Plus.

There will still be concerns about the area covered by PCR.

In a statement released by Posh today, MacAnthony admitted his club had tried ‘to sprint before jogging.’

MacAnthony said: “it is important to listen to your fanbase and there is no doubt we perhaps started sprinting before we were jogging.

I have heard from a lot of our older supporters who are unable to utilise the technology or struggle with internet access, so by bringing the commentary back to an FM radio station will hopefully alleviate some of those challenges.

“We are putting together a simple guide of how to sign up to Posh+ and will be putting on ‘listener events’ so that our older fans can come to the stadium when we were away from home and listen to the games with other supporters.

"We also are organising an appointment-based service where our older fans can come into the club with their tech to have an in-person tutorial if they choose to use the Posh Plus platform. Email [email protected] to organise an appointment with one of our staff members today.

“When we made the decision initially to bring the commentary in-house, it was to sit alongside our video content, which I believe our fans will love, particularly with what it is to come with access in the dressing room, podcasts and much more.

"I believe that local BBC Radio is a service that one day may not be there regarding Posh coverage and I am confident that moving forward other clubs will follow suit in terms of the commentary of games being in-house, but I accept that right now, we perhaps just need to take a step back, which is what we have done with the alternative radio offering.”

PCR FM Director, and morning show presenter, Dave King, said: “As the community radio station for the city, we are delighted to be working with Peterborough United to offer the Posh+ commentary on our 103.2 FM frequency.

"We see the football club as a huge part of the community so it aligns perfectly with what we’re all about. Each home and away league game plus cup competitions for the whole season will be free to listen to on 103.2 FM across Peterborough.

“So get your radios pre-tuned onto that frequency in time for the start of the season. Our online and app listeners won’t get the games, it is FM listeners only.

"When we launch on DAB later this year, the Posh+ commentary will also be available on this platform. All of the volunteers and presenters at PCR FM wish Darren Ferguson and his squad all the best in what we hope will be a successful season.”

The club will bring full details of the first ‘listener event’ in the next few days.

The agreement will see the radio station take Posh commentary from just before kick-off for all League One fixtures, EFL Trophy games and the Carabao Cup.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire retain the rights for the FA Cup.