Condolences to John's family and friends, also to the Leeds Rhino's club and supporters, it's very sad news indeed!

John was a great player and I can well remember him and his halfback partner, Barry Seabourne, tormenting us on many occasions.

RIP John, a player and a man of the every highest calibre, his memory will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone who was fortunate enough to witness him play.

I consider it great privilege and honour to have been able to see John play this great game of ours, albeit towards the end of his career. Even in those final years in the Blue and Amber, what he was starting to lack in speed of the legs, he made up for in speed of his great RL playing mind and what could only be described as sublime passing of the ball.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and all who have had the privilege to see him play.

God's speed John.

Still cant believe it - I really cant.

I still find it hard that at this moment in time (Monday at 1725 hours) Sky Sports havent even mentioned it on either their website or their TV channel.

Ever since I first started to watch and play RL, I always admired the stand off halfs. John was the first professional stand off I saw live and at close quaters. Although I have had the pleasure of watching some fantastic players since that time (and I don't mean just for Leeds), John was without doubt one of the very best in that position.
It is a great loss made all the more saddening by his relatively young age.

Typical Sky Sports - typical media as a whole not giving any rugby league issues a mention, quite a number of them don't mention the play off semi's this morning.

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/y ... 5683645.jp

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/y ... 5683645.jp

The word "legend" is used all too frequently these days....for me John Holmes is a true legend..I have never seen a rugby player who could pass a ball better than him.
This is a sad sad loss

Don't usually post on these things but....

Although i never saw him play and many wont of John Holmes helped the Leeds name become what it is today.

Every club have there icons in all sports, Walter Payton of the chicago bears, Babe Ruth of the NYY, Billy Bremner of Leeds United, Kenny Dalglish of Liverpool - John Holmes was and is the highest order of Leeds RL Icons

RIP John

John you were my first hero and I feel privileged to have seen you play so many, many times. You'll never be forgotten. Let's hope for a chorus of "There's only one John Holmes" on friday night.

I'll never forget a cup match at Headingley right at the end of his career when he side-footed the defence and broke through but because his legs had gone he slipped a beauty to Tony Currie who scored - sublime.

V Wigan in the Regal Trophy?

That's the one I think. I mentioned it too. At that stage of his career he had absolutely no speed - except speed of thought. IIRC he'd passed the ball along all game then chose just the right moment to dummy and run - did it so well that even at his slow-motion speed he was clean through and able to reach the full back before needing to pass.