Bernard Gent, known as the “Voice of the Boro”, has died, aged 92.

A former Northern Echo journalist, he also co-founded in 1962 the Doghouse Cricket Club, a tail-between-the-legs Sunday side whose numbers over the years included about 15 former Test players.

One was the admirable Geoff Cook, one of only two men (probably) to have played both Northern League football and cricket for England.

Bernard became the Ayresome Park announcer around 1966, found a copy of the Power Game theme – by the Cyril Stapleton Orchestra, it was a very long time ago – and had the teams run out to that.

Soon it became Ayresome Radio. Bernard’s dulcet tones – “warm, smooth, reassuring and pleasant” says an online tribute – familiar for getting on 30 years.

“A very important part of the Boro” says another message. “Gent by name and nature” adds a third.

Much to his chagrin, he was eventually replaced – jocked off, as they might say in such circles – by BBC radio DJ Mark Page, but then resurfaced as the first continuity announcer on Boro TV.

He become the PA man for Durham County Cricket Club and could be heard in various supermarkets, advising of the latest offers. As a cricketer he kept wicket for Middlesbrough – probably a good talker behind the stumps, too – and for the Doghouse, duties sometimes shared with former Darlington FC manager Cyril Knowles.

Others who from time to time found themselves in the Doghouse included former Billingham Town and England centre half Gary Pallister, Ken Williamson – an Amateur Cup finalist with Bishop Auckland in 1951 and Crook Town three years later – Tom Stafford, the wicket keeper with the WD40 knees and the multi-talented Ken Thwaites, a man with more hats than Binns’ millinery department.

There’ll be ructions if we don’t also mention Mr Ray Gowan, greatly familiar in Northern League dugouts and yet another wicket keeper.

The club, which very kindly made me a vice-president, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012 with a do at the Tall Trees country club, near Yarm, now vanished.

Bernard had been in good form. “I’m confident of reaching 100” he said. Sadly, he didn’t quite make it.