Larry Canning

Larry Canning, who has died aged 86, was a Scot who enjoyed a successful career playing for Aston Villa before becoming a leading sports broadcaster for the BBC.

Known as the Mr Football of the Midlands, Canning was a familiar voice on the radio and, occasionally, television. He was also one of the very few sports journalists who had the respect – and the ear – of the notoriously difficult Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough.

Born a miner's son in Cowdenbeath, the youngest of five siblings, Lawrence Canning was educated at Forfar Academy. Football was in his blood. His cousin was the legendary Rangers striker Alex Venters.

After playing for Broughty Amateurs and Scotland Schoolboys, at the age of 16 he moved South to start his professional career with Paget Rangers in Birmingham. He then came to the attention of Aston Villa who signed him up.

He started playing for them during the Second World War but his career was interrupted when he was called up to serve in the Armed Forces. He joined the RAF as an engineer servicing Lancaster bombers and he saw active service in Malta and Italy.

After the war the wing-half was back at Villa Park, signing up as a professional in 1947 and rapidly becoming a favourite of the fans. He played for the side until 1954 when, at the age of 29, he signed for Kettering Town.

That same year he married Margaret. The couple met because she lived with her parents in a house close to where Canning rented a garage for his car. She had absolutely no interest in football and had no idea that her future husband was a legend at Villa Park. They had two children and lived in Birmingham until just 10 years ago, when they moved to Nottingham to be closer to their grown-up daughter and her family.

His break into broadcasting came when sports presenter David Coleman invited him to take part in an open mic competition on Sportsnight.

Canning didn't win but he was sufficiently impressive to start a radio career which lasted the rest of his working life.

As the Mr Football of the Midlands, Canning – who never lost his Scottish accent despite living most of his life in England – was recognised by generations of listeners and viewers, both locally and nationally.

He was renowned for his plain-speaking, honest approach to the job. He was once accused of having an anti-Villa bias in his reporting. He agreed that he was sometimes harsher with Aston Villa players but said this was because "they have to prove themselves worthy of wearing the claret and blue".

Though he did appear on the screen, he was never keen on television. Part of the reason for this was because he did not like being made-up and was often bemused by the fact that the make-up department always insisted on covering his bald head.

Despite his success, he was a man who loathed the limelight and hated being treated as a celebrity. At one point the BBC sports department issued its reporters and commentators with jackets which had their names on the front. After his retirement, he gave it to one of his grandchildren. It had never been worn.

Throughout his adult life Canning, who like most successful sportsmen was extremely competitive, was an accomplished and avid golfer.

He is survived by Margaret, his children Jane and Andrew, and five grandchildren.