[url=http://newsthump.com/2010/12/31/referee-howard-webb-awarded-mbe-for-services-to-manchester-united/So he was[/url

I'm not a fan of his commenting but no one can doubt his knowledge and enthusiasm for the game. His journalism is also high quality. He occasionally veers into too much nostalgia but generally has progressive views about the game.

Its hard not to like the guy!

The 6'2" 73 year old from thatto heath moves to first reciever..he's a big lump of a lad.....he's going for the line..but no....kneels under the queens swinging arm....ooooo was that sword just a bit high...Jonathon

Ray...it was on the shoulder..its OK

Should have been a KBE. Much deserved!

Given that a great many nominations for these awards come from memebers of the general public, via an application form downloadable from the Cabinet Office, perhaps we should disallow posts to the effect of 'they should have got one etc.' unless you've actually bothered to send a nomination form in ?

Ray French is one of the reasons the game can't get out of Yorkshire and Lancashire. An absolute dinosaur of a human, shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the game. That he is allowed, highlights why the game is largely irrelevant.

Wow!!!

Such original thinking and in only 5 posts!!!!

You could go a long way!!!!

An arguments originality has absolutely nothing to do with its merit!!!

That's a logical fallacy!!!

You'd expect someone with over 8000 posts to do more than mock conflicting views!!!

Grow up!!!

In that case you should have no difficulty in naming a few commentators who'd be sucessful in transforming us into a national sport.

Name away.

There's no need to be asinine. We both know a commentator, no matter how great, couldn't ever make the game a national one.

For arguments sake I could name thousands of commentators who'd improve the image of the game. But I won't, because there'd be no point. If you have an argument it can be made regardless.

How about Jon Champion, who did a few games for the BBC when Dave Woods wasn't available, including IIRC a Challenge Cup Semi Final.

No stupid comments

Up-to-date on current rules

Coherent, with you could even say a middle-England RP accent

And none of this 'Fourteen stone former Blackbrook amatuer' routine

Sadly, it was shortly after these games that Champion left the BBC for ITV and I think currently is earning his corn on something like ESPN ....

Fair point although it's equally unlikely that French's commentaries have contributed in any significant way to the game's failure to spread much beyond Yorks & Lancs.

I'd have no problem with Champion as a commentator, nor do I have a problem with Dave Woods (other than his raging, pro-wigan bias. In fact it's always a surprise when he doesn't leave the commentary box 15 mins from the end when they're losing

).