That is your opinion! I can name many Great Guys who did much more for school sport and in particular Rugby League and not union.

Still do not agree with the honours system!

Good point....plenty of Ex pros' devote much more of their own personal time to coach or help out at Amateur clubs.

commentating on Rugby League in a shockingly bad way for so long doesnt warrant an award in my opinion. He's not a visionary. he's not knowledgable (unless you class knowing every former Thatto heath/blackbrook amatuer turned pro as knowledgeable), and he's not very good at his job.

apparantly a decent after dinner speaker though

Well, if commentating was the only reason he won the award then I'd agree with you. However, you show amazing ignorance of what Ray French actually did for the game so I'm not even going to bother debating it with you. Suffice it to say, he did an incredible amount more than commentating on the game and if you read any of his books you will also discover that he knows one hell of a lot about the sport.

But it is a totally outdated view of the game, rugby league has moved on! would you bring back Alex Murphy as coach? the answer is NO!

French is now more an embarrassment to the game then Eddie Waring was close to the end, but the BBC are not bothered because they treat our game as joke, there would be much more respect for Ray is he had retired around two years back and even more, yes carry on his weekly newspaper column, yes BBC Radio Merseyside, the research shows what demographic listen to that! but to want to carry on and on and on is sad!

Judging from your posts, French has forgotten more about RL in the last 5 minutes than you've ever known.

Whilst I would like to respond I would first be interested to learn of which of Ray's books you have actually read and what specific view in which particular book is "totally outdated" ?

go on then dont accuse me of ignorance without putting me right...Ive been watching the game since 1979 and I couldnt tell you of one thing Ray French has done for the game other than reinforce the fact that Northern People cant speak properly. at least Eddie Waring another criticised for his poor commentary actually was a driving force behind Getting rugby League televised.

If French has done similar things you should let us ignorant people know...

Ray French speaks fluent Sintellins. That means he is extremely articulate.

He also has a degree in English and taught English at Cowley High. However, based upon the grammar in your post, you really aren't in a position to criticise Ray's linguistic skills!

You might have watched the game since 1979 but it doesn't look like you know much about it.

Really? I think you are mistaking someone who sets his comments in an historical context with someone who has an outdated view of the game. Unless, of course, you consider, say, the opinion that England doesn't have pacey wingers but in actual fact [ishould[/i have pacey wingers as an outdated view?

Do you read Ray's column in the RL press each week?


Eddie Waring suffered from dementia close to the end so your comment here is crass.

And you were doing so well sounding so pompous with your accusations of ignorance....

you still haven't enlightened me as to his vast involvement in the game of Rugby League, is he up there with Jean Galia for example?

I love sounding pompous. It's great.


Which aspect of his involvement? His playing days? His coaching? His promoting? His writing? His TV appearances? His radio input?

MBE's for Baz, Tez, Paul Cullen, Stevo, Brian Carney, and John kear then......nowt out the ordinary there pal....

You didn't answer any of my questions. There's a surprise!

Let's be honest, if you were to draw up a list of people unlikely to accept an Establishment honour Ray French would be nowhere near it.

The guy IS Establishment (not to mention pompous and insufferable).

One accurate comment does not make someone or anyone good!

My comment about Eddie Waring is crass, well substantiate your claim, was that when he was still at the BBC? Eddie Waring did more for the game of Rugby League he saved the game after the war, French never even touches him, but as I said Eddie went on too long on air. All the claims of the success of French are purely ones he has made financial gain from.

I love how you like to attack others!

Time you took off your rose coloured glasses and accept reality

Deserved for his longevity if nothing else.

Well then we may as all have one, they will be in the post next week!

Don't worry chap, you'll never get one.

Yes. Did you not see the wonderful programme about Eddie Waring that was shown on BBC4 a couple of months back? He had developed dementia while still working for the BBC. Your comment was crass.


What tosh. Eddie Waring did great things for rugby league but Ray French has done just as much for the game. For instance, it's largely thanks to Ray French that league is no longer banned in schools and the forces, etc. He challenged in court the policy held by the RFU whereby schoolboys were banned from playing union if they had previously played league. He won and the ban was lifted. That began the movement towards freedom to play both codes. I'd say that was a significant thing there that he did for league, wouldn't you?

You keep harping on about the TV as if that was the only thing Ray French did. If that is what you think then you really are ignorant.

I love how you like to attack others opinions, but then only your can be right!

Shame this High & Mighty Man French threatened school boys from playing amateur rugby league or they would not be allowed to play for the school!

Yes French has wrote books, so did Eddie Waring and a superb yearly annual which my Dad passed on to me when I was younger.

I stand by my comment that Eddie Waring did much more for the game than ever Mr French has and will!

It is just getting boring now, he has got the award now! Now hopefully he will stand down from TV commentating and let Rugby League get a better image than his flat cap!

On this occasion, I know I am right. Ray French has done at least as much for the game as Eddie Waring, probably more actually. It's just that you aren't inclined to find out about it.

You clearly didn't read the bit where I said that Ray French took the authorities to court to enable boys who had played RL to be allowed to play RU, which is in exact opposition to what you said about Ray French threatening school boys about which code they played.

You just have a problem with Ray French for some reason. Yet you don't know anything about him except that he has commentated on the TV.

It is you that is so stubborn and closed minded! I was involved with the situation were Ray French Threatened Boy's who played Under 16 Rugby League, they would be Banned from playing for the school, I did not read it like you seem to do and know think you know everything, so Mr French at that time was Completely Two Faced! and that is Fact and Truth!

"All credit to the lad" as Ray would say.

Proof please

I'm stubborn, yes, because I know I'm right on this occasion.


I would suggest you be careful what you say. You are besmerching a person's character by your accusations.