1984: England v Australia (Rugby Union)

As Australia prepared for the first international leg of their 1984 tour to Britain and Ireland, it was evident that they were in a much healthier state than their old rivals England. The visitors had run a strong New Zealand side close in a 2-1 series loss in the southern hemisphere summer, whereas England's recent run of results were hardly cause for any encouragement.

Sporting celebrations of the 1980s

Celebrate good times, come on! There is nothing like a great sporting celebration to get the blood pumping, as all the pressure that has been building inside is finally allowed to disperse, that brief period of time following something special where both athletes and fans experience an overwhelming feeling of elation. This week I am taking a look back at sporting celebrations of the 1980s, five moments where the competitors marked success in an unforgettable manner. A high five if you like.

The Dirtiest Race in History

When I started writing this blog eighteen months ago, there were numerous sporting events that immediately sprung to mind when I considered which topics to cover. One certainty was that at some point I would try my very best to research, investigate, and compose a piece about the 1988 Olympics Men's 100 metres final in Seoul. And then I read The Dirtiest Race in History by Richard Moore and realised that, in comparison, my amateur efforts would struggle to qualify from the heats.

1982: Formula One World Championship

Some F1 seasons are slightly more eventful and exciting than 2013. Take 1982 for example. What it may have lacked in out and out quality, it certainly made up for in incident and talking points. It was rarely dull.

This week we're going to take a look back at the 1982 F1 World Championship. A year that started with a drivers' strike, contained a Grand Prix postponement, involved controversial disqualifications, a boycott, tragedy, last lap dramas, and a world champion who only won one race. Never mind a blog, there is enough material for a whole book from this entertaining period in the sport.

A Question of Sport in the 1980s

As I sit down to watch the new series of A Question of Sport which begins on Friday October 21, it is inevitable that, as ever, nostalgia will engulf me. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the current show, but in my opinion, it suffers in comparison to the quiz programme I grew up watching as a boy. This may be simply because I am an old fool unable to accept that things have to move on and nothing stays the same forever. Yet, I am sure there are many like-minded people out there who will recall with fondness a glorious era for A Question of Sport.

So, this week I am going to take a look back at what made A Question of Sport special for me in the 1980s. From the opening credits, to the time when a reported 19 million tuned in to watch a very royal episode, a few of my memories of a classic 80s television programme.