TRIBUTES have been paid to Newport sports commentator Idwal Robling, who has died at the age of 84.

Mr Robling, from Malpas, described as a “modest family man”, was a highly regarded BBC broadcaster, best-known for his work in football.

He died on Thursday after a short illness.

A respected amateur footballer, he captained Wales and represented Great Britain at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.

In 1969 he became something of a celebrity when he was chosen from more than 10,000 other hopefuls in a national competition to be part of the BBC commentary team at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

Mr Robling beat Liverpool and Scotland star Ian St John in the final round, going on to cover England’s group games in Guadalajara.

One of his greatest moments came a year later when he commentated on Cardiff City’s famous 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the European Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final, first leg, at Ninian Park in 1971.

His son Richard, 52, from Caerleon, said he was a humble man.

“My father was modest, very much a family man,” he said.

Born James Idwal Robling in Ynyshir in the Rhondda Valley during the 1920s, he was a contemporary of another gifted broadcaster in rugby great Cliff Morgan, who hailed from nearby Trebanog.

Mr Robling was a ‘Bevin Boy’ during the Second World War, one of the thousands of young British men conscripted to work in the coal mines.

He had been accepted for service in the Royal Navy but was forced to work underground instead.

After the war he trained to be a teacher, studying at Caerleon College and Loughborough University.

But he decided against a career in the classroom to work as a manager at the Lovell’s sweet factory in Newport where he met his wife, Hazel.

The accomplished footballer played for the works team Lovell’s Athletic who competed at a high standard in the Southern League. He was capped 13 times at amateur level for Wales, skippering the side.

During his playing career, Mr Robling rubbed shoulders on the field with England great Stan Mortensen and Tottenham legend Bill Nicholson.

He was a columnist for The Times and began commentating on radio for BBC Wales in the 1960s, covering Newport County, Swansea City and Cardiff City.

After getting his big TV break, he also covered baseball, rugby league and boxing for the BBC.

In recent years, Mr Robling was part of the production teams for BBC Wales rugby programmes Scrum V and Y Clwb Rygbi.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and son, and six grandchildren.

Lewis Robling, who is a Newport Gwent Dragons squad member and a player with Newport and the Wales Under-20s team at the current IRB Junior World Championship in Italy, is one of his grandchildren.