MICHAEL Williamson had just celebrated his 48th birthday when he exclaimed on national TV: “I’ve seen it all now, I have seen it all.”

While the former commentator might have been prone to the odd embellishment as he described many of the game’s greatest moments, his memorable postscript to North Melbourne champion Malcolm Blight’s massive torpedo punt that sunk Carlton after the siren at Princes Park in 1976 remains as true today as it was then.

As Williamson celebrated his 90th birthday at the Grosvenor Hotel in St Kilda East last Sunday, there were constant reminders of the impact he has had on people and the game.

Joining Channel Seven in the late 1950s, Williamson made his name as an outstanding commentator and host. Football was his focus, but he could turn his hand to most sports.

These days he rarely steps outside his Brighton East nursing home after having a stroke more than five years ago, but this was a special day and love was in the air as he was surrounded by family and close friends.

Among those friends were several of the game’s biggest names. They included champion North rover and former VFL president Allen Aylett and six-time Melbourne premiership player Frank ‘Bluey’ Adams, who both worked with Williamson on Seven’s football coverage.

Another long-time colleague at Seven, triple Brownlow medallist Bob Skilton, could not attend but his wife Marion was there.

Hawthorn great Peter Hudson and John ‘Sam’ Newman, of Geelong and Footy Show fame, mingled with the crowd and the arrival of former world featherweight boxing champion John Famechon was warmly received.

Williamson was at the microphone in the 1971 Grand Final when Hudson lined up for his ill-fated bid to break Bob Pratt’s League goalkicking record of 150 in a season.

As always, his commentary was accurate and emotion-charged, but he remains best remembered for his memorable line in the previous year’s Grand Final when Carlton’s Alex Jesaulenko soared over Collingwood’s Graeme ‘Jerker’ Jenkin. Williamson’s call of “Jesaulenko, you beauty” has gone into football folklore.

‘Jezza’ was there last Sunday with his daughter Sally-Anne, who is Williamson’s god-daughter.

After tributes from his five grandchildren and one great-grandchild, long-time Seven colleague Gordon Bennett recounted several humorous stories of working with Williamson, and former VRC chief executive Rod Johnson proposed the toast.

Well played, Michael, you’re a legend.