1 Eric Clay (Rothwell)
2 Ron Gelder (Wilmslow)
3 Stan Wall (Leigh)

No Specsavers then

Kirkpatrick and Russel Smith where both top referees. Kirkpatrick left due to the full time contracts and Smith because he did not get the top job. Good work by Cummins! The last year of Klown was his best.

I actually don't pay too much attention to who is the ref ............... until they make a clanger in a "big" game.

Steve Ganson has to be one of the worst .......... I remember discussing his performance in the 2009 Grand Final with him ........... he was shopping in Asda St.Helens, and I asked him about a couple of decisions, especially a knock on/forward pass (I forget now) that changed the game and led directly to Leeds' winning points ........... even after having had the chance to watch then again on video, he still believed he'd got them right.

It's one thing to make a mistake in the heat of the moment, when you've only got one look at it .......... quite another to be unable to see your error after having had the chance to study the video.

He also admitted that he disagreed with one of the major Video Ref decisions on the night ........ if 2 allegedly top refs can watch the same footage and come up with different decisions, then the system needs an overhaul.

Thank you so much for mentioning Ron Gelder as one of the best refs you remember - he was my Grandad!

He sadly passed away a few years back and it was lovely to see a few representatives from the RFL turned up to the funeral. His wife, my nan, is still very much with us and they have a picture up in their house of the famous Cup Final replay at Odsal stadium which he refereed - hard to believe that many people fit into Odsal!!!!

Anyway as far as my favourite referees and least favourite...

Least favourite - Ian Smith: Complete tool and when I did a ref's course back in 2000 he came along for a day and came across as a bighead..

Favourite - Karl Kirkpatrick was the best when he quit but I think the current crop are pretty good. We always slate them when we are at the matches but when we watch it back again on TV, they are correct 9 times out of 10!

more often than not I think the touch judges have a lot to answer for.
some of the forward passes they miss at times is an absolute joke.

I dont think any of the current refs are overly bad.
I think the main problem with refs is their slightly different interpretation to the rules and consistency which really pi££es most people off.

Maybe thats more of a problem with Cummins???

I think there's some truth in that. I have thought to myself in the past that it would be quite possible to clean up the play-the-ball by having the referee at the ruck and allowing the touch judges to monitor offside (especially as they have a perfect view along the defensive line).

best none if i at say one russell smith for when joynt fell over


worse ian smith john holdsworth and james childs

I remember the Sargeant Major sending Mick Sullivan and Alex Murphy off for fighting, the refs today wouldn't have the b@lls.
Ron Gelder top ref in my eyes. I think you mean Fred Lindop.
Stan was a good judge of character, (going off how you remember him )

I used to sit on the ringside at Wigan as a lad and I remember both Eric Clay and Ronnie Gelder (I always thought Gelder was from Warrington) BJ you are right about his high white collar, and he was a good ref.

But Eric Clay was a character. Billy Boston had just gone in for his third try and was walking back with the ball to give it Griffiths, or whoever was about to take the kick. Wigan were well ahead. Eric Clay walked along side Boston and said "Now dad, make that your last, they've had enough"
And guess what, no more tries for Billy B that day.

Billy Thompson is one of the funniest after dinner speakers you will ever hear, and a half decent ref.

The Sullivan - Murphy sending off was in the 1960 Championship semi final at Knowsley Road. It was played on Saturday evening to allow fans to watch / listen to the FA Cup final on the afternoon. Billy B scored two great tries in a Wigan win, and Wigan went on to beat Wakefield 27 - 3 in front of 87,000 fans at Odsal.

Whinging about referees is for losers. Yes they all make mistakes just like players do.

In 99% of games the best team wins irrespective of whistlers decisions and the reasons for defeat usually lie closer to home.

Was never keen on Robin Whitfield,or Robin B*****d as he was more commonly known to some of us.

He was supposed to have said before the 1990 Challenge Cup Semi with the Pies that Saints were 'getting f*** all off me today'.

Given his performance that day in awarding Wigan some rather dubious looking tries which could have easily been disallowed for forward passes,chances are it was true!

Just goes to proves the length Wigan would go to influence the the officials, "Billy Boston the father of the Sargeant Major"


I think Mr Gelder origionated from Wakefield, then moved to Wilmslow, ( Did the pies own property in Wilmslow?)

Thanks John, they are really kind words and I will pass regards to my Nan.

Ron Gelder did originate from Wakefield and then moved to Wilmslow.

Also John, thanks for referring to me as young Dave - much appreciated (I am 32 years old now and teach in a primary school so it's quite rare when I'm now called young!!!)

He always told me stories about his referreeing days and over the years of watching Saints and speaking to people on the terraces, I have mentioned my Grandad's name to people of a 'certain generation' and not one person had anything negative to say about him.

Certainly makes me a very proud Grandson!