Oh.....new balls please !

Lewis has turned our governing body from a near-bankrupt basket case into one with sufficient financial clout to bail out clubs like Bradford who get themselves into serious difficulties. He also clearly had a focus on the international game which was much needed, and understood that RL's long-term existence as a professional sport was dependent upon developing a larger national footprint at both amateur and professional levels. He was also a master at bringing in government cash from the sports councils.

However, the writing's been on the wall for some time. Several of his key projects had been blocked or undercut by more traditionalist elements - the move to summer for the amateurs, for example, or the bizarre decision of the clubs to turn down cash sponsorship in favour of a few painted trucks. He's also been clearly leaving more and more of the running of the game to Nigel Wood, and this accounts for the increasing number of cock-ups.

Rugby league has historically been an incredibly badly administered sport at both club and national level. Lewis was a brief interlude of professionalism and vision. I'd like to think there was the chance of getting a big-hitting powerful replacement with the same acumen and vision to replace him. However, I fear that we're much more likely to end up with Nigel Wood or his equivalent.

The appointment of Lewis's successor is by far the most important thing which will happen in our game this year. It will define how we see ourselves and where we see ourselves going in the long-term. If it's another small-town businessman with a history of club admin, then we're properly screwed. We need someone big, preferably with big contacts. There must be some powerful guys from the world of big business or government, ready for a new challenge, who come from RL towns and have an affection for the sport. I hope we can find one.

Steady on lad.

Crusaders and UKBA fiasco
Widnes administration
Wakefield administration
Crusaders adminstration (twice) and then meltdown
Blackpool cut adrift and out of existence
Bradford in financial turmoil
Toulouse sent packing back to France

What lies beneath the current facade of Rugby League clubs is anyones guess but the current noises starting to be made by chairmen doesn't inspire me with confidence.


I would go along with the fact that the RFL's own finances are in rude health though but this guy is far from having been the messiah.

Very good post, Sir.

I wasn't aware that the RFL were responsible for clubs spending more than they can generate in income...

I guess the game can look forward to a period of rude health, now this incompetent berk is moving on. I expect Neil Hudgell's CV is in the post to Red Hall already, what with all the great ideas and vision he's brought to the game.

They run the game - they're responsible for EVERYTHING that happens, not just the good bits.

Don’t forget the game being better attended and played in more places by more players than ever before. Not to mention record amounts of money being brought in and record amounts of money paid out to clubs. In 2001 the RFL paid out £11.3m, in 2011 £29.6m. The fact some clubs have spent that money so poorly isn’t Richard Lewis fault.

No point giving Hudgel the job, he doesn't go to meetings. Besides, who could he bleat about then?

Lewis has done a fantastic job for RL. Anyone the cant see that has a VERY short memory or is VERY blinkered.

We have a healthy smattering of both on here, so expect this to be a long thread.

He was Chairman of the RFL was he not? Was it not the RFL who introduced (and i use his words) "a rigorous assessment process to which the licence application of every club is subjected"? This assesment process failed to highlight the meltdown at Crusaders (twice), Wakefield and Bradford. Sure, he didn't spend the money but he didn't introduce a "rigorous assessment" either.

I'm not saying he's the worse thing that's ever happend to Rugby League but before we trip over ourselves in adoration let the passage of time and revisionist historians paint the whole story.

Lewis has just been waiting for a better gig to come along, he’s now going back to what he really cares about.

No chance of Wood going anywhere, why would he, in the real world he would have been given his marching orders for some abject decisions.

Sure the RFL is on a better financial footing, but, the amount on money coming from the broadcaster has increased significantly. I hope we get someone with sound business acumen, who is actually a fan of the sport.

Thanks Richard for getting the RFL back in the black.

Fudging the Wigan salary cap fiasco.

Allowing Hull to field an illegible player in the C.C. only for them to go on & reach the final.

Throwing a Welsh club into S.L. when it was patently obvious they were nowhere near ready.

Loaning money to Bradford on the quite, then realising they weren’t going to see any of it back any time soon, then giving them some more, just for a poxy lease on an Iconic Stadium.

Cheers

I am sure the passage of time will show Lewis' tenure of one of the most successful in the history of RL.

I am fairly certain it is because I can remember what went before
I can also see the route that the likes of Hudgel want to take the game down.