You were convinced by an hour long documentury made by the BBC about the BBC, shown on the BBC. I know what people said from outside the RL community in those days, I have always worked away from home down south. Whether it was EW's fault or whether he was used as a stooge by the RL, I don't know, having seen the dicumentary I suspect the latter. In that case I feel soorry for him. Because whatever he played a part in making the rest of the country view RL as a stupid, northern, It's a Knockout - FACT.

Not that the RFL make a good job of it themselfs.

I bloody hope not, probably just someone on an ego trip with his tiny bit of authority over the orange, Sorry, sorry yellow lines on the steps.

Is this to be repeated as I missed it?

I have similar reservations about EW as you. He was a poor commentator, but he did have a sparkling personality, which came over very well on T.V. He could be very biased and he seemed to have a pathological hatred of Widnes. He didn’t give any detailed account of what was taking place on the field and just stated the blindingly obvious. It was like listening to some old woman prattling on about the game. He rarely bothered to tell you who scored – and people think Ray French is bad at remembering names. He just came over as flippant, and this jokey attitude didn’t do RL any favours in being taken seriously as a sport. I didn’t know he had dementia Fred, but that would explain a lot. It also begs the question of why the BBC allowed him to commentate for so long. It just showed their contempt for the game, I suppose.

He became a professional northerner which, I think, is why the BBC used him, instead of the much better Keith Macklin. This cemented the notion of flat caps, whippets and RL was all the north was about. I don’t think EW intended this, and he was definitely very passionate about the game. His rising media profile certainly brought RL to a level of national consciousness the sport never enjoyed before or since.

He was a man of his time, and he must be judged that way. TV was a new thing at that time, and T.V. commentary was in it’s infancy. I think he did wonders for the profile of the game, but very little for its image. This was then compounded by the BBC when they replaced him with Ray French. While he was a much better commentator than EW, he oozed cloth cappiness. Only now in 2010 are we starting to move on from this on the BBC.

About ******* time”!

Just watching the STs Leeds game and i must say that if the game was played like that today you would hear the continuous sound of the refs whistle ,i have lost count of the "now" penalties

If that's what you want to believe, then you believe that, i am just a steward who is sick to death of supporters having a dig at me and my colleagues at every little chance they get.
Every supporter who has a stab at the stewards, or the stadium rules, should contact The Safety Officer, about doing the NVQ in Spectator safety, then see if they still have there attitudes afterwards.

Its ok for keyboard warriors to make comments like stormtroopers etc reffy, but calling them too a stewards face is far too much like being brave for half of them.

I am quoting your post as you seem to be level headed, and will understand what i'm saying.

Basically stadium rules have to enforced otherwise there would be no game to be watched by the public.

These stadium rules are set out by Wigan Council, so all stabs, diggs and complaints should be directed toward them.

I apologise for the spack comment, i was out if order, but can the poster calling us stormtroopers be man enough too also apologise for what could be deemed as a racist comment?

Good post Dave.

how is being called a stormtrooper classed as racism?

if you think that calling stewards stormtroopers is a racist comment then I am very much afraid that as I have long suspected common sense is an attribute sadly lacking in our stewards,as for actually telling stewards to their faces I have several times on the old hilton Park had occasion to speak with the stewards about their attitude and manner of working if I have an excuse to point out the error of their ways I shall do so and I could do with a little bit less of this confrontational attitude from the said stewards

You say it all really. Speaking to HP stewards is likened to talking to someone who couldn't care less about the safety certificate.
All I am saying is that we are looking out for each and every single person in that stadium in accordance to the rules given to us.
We then have too enforce them if they are broken.
Its all about respect, and in the heat of the moment, no one likes being told what to do especially when things are getting tasty on the pitch, that I can handle.
But is there any need to continue this berating after the season?
As for intelligence or whatever you think you have, then Google the word Stormtrooper ( and I don't mean the Star Wars people), and you will see again we are being likened too Nazi's with you're comment, therefore deeming it racist.
At least I have apologised at the first juncture, something you no doubt, don't have in you, as you will still continue too fail to see that your comments have been taken as racist , and will still continue too argue the toss regardless!

I have now decided that I will no longer be posting answers to you on this particular thread as I am getting a bit concerned about your continued misuse of the word to or too as you keep refering to it all I need to say to you is this I have spoken to several people there at the ground and when I have said to them "do you know who leythdave is " the answer has invariably been "oh I yon mon he's a bloody idiot" keep up the good work keeping us all safe at the match.

im sorry but how is being classed as a star wars character racist?
abusive maybe which im sure peawapp will apologise for (wont you peawapp) but not racist.

if calling someone stormtrooper is abusive of course I will apologise,but I have to say that seventy years ago many many people would have been proud to have been called a stormtrooper

Original post could also be classed as abusive. I watched the program and even though it was the BBC our own Alex Murphy didn't really have a bad word for Eddie.

I enjoyed the programme, what a sad end for him.
He no doubt had a hand in bringing the BBC Floodlit Cup to the Game. We did well in that comp, even beating the pies at Central Park in one final. Bring it back for the Championship Clubs as we need to win something soon!