Sorry Paulie,
I didn’t realise you had to spell everything correctly on this board. I will use spellchecker in future!
Been announced that he’s died aged 81. Don’t think there will be many Widnes fans mourning him.
His name was Lindsay, show some respect by spelling the name correctly, to the man who enabled Widnes RLFC to become 'First Official World Club Champions', after being innovative in bringing Manly over to play Wigan in 1987.
Paulie xx
To be fair, I'm not sure Lindsay had much to do with our World Club Challenge success, given the fact that...
1). It wasn't a new concept (St.Helens went over to Australia to play Eastern Suburbs in a World Club Challenge in 1976)
And, 2). Lindsay wasn't the RFL's CEO then (I could be wrong, but I think that was David Oxley).
Who can forget the fixture switch during the title run in of 89-90.? Should've been Wigan v Bradford followed by Wigan v Widnes, Tuesday night and Thursday night.Swapped at the last minute.
As a youngster I always though Station Rd was the Lancashire equivalent of Headingley rather than Central Park.
it was sad what happened there - could have been developed into a great venue for the professional era if the RFL had managed anything approaching a plan.
Sorry for straying off topic.
Sorry Paulie,
I didn’t realise you had to spell everything correctly on this board. I will use spellchecker in future!
It's all about respect, FV. You wouldn't be happy if someone changed the I to a Y in your name, would you?
Paulie xx
Been announced that he’s died aged 81. Don’t think there will be many Widnes fans mourning him.
His name was Lindsay, show some respect by spelling the name correctly, to the man who enabled Widnes RLFC to become 'First Official World Club Champions', after being innovative in bringing Manly over to play Wigan in 1987.
Paulie xx
To be fair, I'm not sure Lindsay had much to do with our World Club Challenge success, given the fact that...
1). It wasn't a new concept (St.Helens went over to Australia to play Eastern Suburbs in a World Club Challenge in 1976)
And, 2). Lindsay wasn't the RFL's CEO then (I could be wrong, but I think that was David Oxley).
I'll think you'll find that ML arranged the Wigan fixture, obviously with the RFL blessing, and it became an Official thing, 2 years later.
Paulie xx
@pauliewalnuts I don’t think it is all about respect. I think it about respect that has been earned but I don’t think this is the right spot for the debate.
Been announced that he’s died aged 81. Don’t think there will be many Widnes fans mourning him.
His name was Lindsay, show some respect by spelling the name correctly, to the man who enabled Widnes RLFC to become 'First Official World Club Champions', after being innovative in bringing Manly over to play Wigan in 1987.
Paulie xx
To be fair, I'm not sure Lindsay had much to do with our World Club Challenge success, given the fact that...
1). It wasn't a new concept (St.Helens went over to Australia to play Eastern Suburbs in a World Club Challenge in 1976)
And, 2). Lindsay wasn't the RFL's CEO then (I could be wrong, but I think that was David Oxley).
I'll think you'll find that ML arranged the Wigan fixture, obviously with the RFL blessing, and it became an Official thing, 2 years later.
Paulie xx
I don't doubt that for one moment, but the fact remains that it wasn't a new concept.
Another reason why it became an official regular event was because of the sponsorship deal with Fosters, which at the time was Britain's best selling Lager.
Sorry Paulie,
I didn’t realise you had to spell everything correctly on this board. I will use spellchecker in future!
It's all about respect, FV. You wouldn't be happy if someone changed the I to a Y in your name, would you?
Paulie xx
i wouldn’t be that bothered, I’ve had my surname spelt wrongly lots of times, with people putting a S on the end and some putting down Simon!!
Who can forget the fixture switch during the title run in of 89-90.? Should've been Wigan v Bradford followed by Wigan v Widnes, Tuesday night and Thursday night.Swapped at the last minute.
Didn't that result in Dougie calling him a cheat in an TV interview? Or am I mis-remembering that?
Anyway, certainly a devisive figure - who knows where RL would be now if it had gone with the orginal merger plan which I assume he had a lot of input to, the Cheshire Cats or whatever we were to become vs Calderdale Wild Tigers...
I remember being at a GB vs PNG game (I think at Central Park) around the time of the mergers/SL stuff and giving him dogs abuse, along with a lot of the crowd (presumably the non Wigan elements!). Still, water under the bridge now and RIP to the the fella.
With my biased Widnes hat on, I always thought that Maurice Lindsay disliked Widnes because they were more successful than Wigan in the 80’s; and his ridiculous proposal for Widnes to merge with Warrington was a spiteful suggestion with no merit whatsoever, which in reality would have been the end of RL in Widnes.
I am not sure that SL has been the success that some are suggesting, but again that may well be my biased opinion.
Lindsay was a divisive figure in the game, but at least had a vision for the future of the game that seems to be lacking in the present RL management, who will not be remembered for their vision and leadership in years to come.
With my biased Widnes hat on, I always thought that Maurice Lindsay disliked Widnes because they were more successful than Wigan in the 80’s; and his ridiculous proposal for Widnes to merge with Warrington was a spiteful suggestion with no merit whatsoever, which in reality would have been the end of RL in Widnes.
I am not sure that SL has been the success that some are suggesting, but again that may well be my biased opinion.
Lindsay was a divisive figure in the game, but at least had a vision for the future of the game that seems to be lacking in the present RL management, who will not be remembered for their vision and leadership in years to come.
Not sure Lindsay had any vision for the game when he was at the RFL, as he was blatantly trying to copy the Australian template, and it was doomed to failure from the start.
Super League has been a failure because the European game is not, and never will be, as big as the NRL, and as a result, has irreparably damaged the games foundations.
Mergers failed spectacularly because he completely misjudged the tribal northern mentality, Australians might like the whole franchise idea, but us Northern British folks don't...