9 8 5 . ▁A ▁key ▁characteristic ▁of ▁the ▁show ▁was ▁comedy , ▁with ▁St ▁John ▁prompt ing ▁Gre aves ▁to ▁j okes ▁and ▁j ib es . ▁ ▁The ▁show ▁was ▁usually ▁about ▁ 3 0 ▁minutes ▁long ▁and ▁was ▁initially ▁broadcast ▁shortly ▁after ▁no on ▁on ▁S atur days , ▁to ▁co inci de ▁with ▁the ▁build - up ▁to ▁that ▁afternoon ' s ▁football ▁matches . ▁In ▁later ▁years ▁it ▁usually ▁went ▁on ▁air ▁shortly ▁after ▁ 1 pm ▁and ▁in ▁its ▁final ▁season ▁was ▁increased ▁in ▁length ▁to ▁a ▁ 4 5 - min ute ▁slot . ▁ ▁At ▁various ▁points ▁in ▁the ▁show ▁the ▁goals ▁of ▁previous ▁matches ▁would ▁be ▁shown . ▁The ▁show ▁included ▁features ▁on ▁clubs ▁in ▁both ▁English ▁and ▁Scottish ▁le agues ▁and ▁discussion ▁of ▁that ▁week end ' s ▁major ▁games , ▁emphas ising ▁matches ▁that ▁I TV ▁planned ▁to ▁broadcast . ▁ ▁The ▁series ▁initially ▁had ▁a ▁simple ▁opening ▁sequence ▁showing ▁a ▁rot ating ▁rud iment ary ▁CG I - image ▁of ▁a ▁football ▁pitch ▁revol ving ▁several ▁times , ▁before ▁a ▁still ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁present ers ▁po pped ▁up ▁at ▁the ▁end ; ▁the ▁theme ▁t une ▁was ▁initially ▁identical ▁to ▁that ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁" On ▁the ▁Ball " ▁segment ▁of ▁' World ▁of ▁Sport . ▁In ▁later ▁years , ▁the ▁introduction ▁to ▁the ▁show ▁began ▁with ▁St ▁John ▁and ▁Gre aves ▁as ▁cig aret te ▁cards ▁from ▁their ▁playing ▁days ▁on ▁the ▁opening ▁cred its , ▁and ▁the ▁theme