Rugby league reporting legend mourned

During a career spanning more than six decades, he worked for several local newspapers across the North West although he is best known as the former editor of the Rugby Leaguer and the long-time sports editor of Wigan Today’s former sister publication The St Helens Reporter.

But even after that folded two years ago, John was still reporting on St Helens games for another of our fellow publications, Liverpool World, filing his final copy only last Monday.

He did not feel well for several days thereafter, complaining of abdominal pains and twice went to the doctor. Following the second visit he was booked in for some blood tests.

At 1am last Friday (September 8) he rang daughter Catherine to say he wasn’t feeling well and later that morning his other daughter Jacqueline went round to his home to take him for the tests only to see him through the window collapsed on the floor.

At first it was thought he had suffered a fall and Jacqueline waited for Catherine to come round with a key, but once they had let themselves in, they realised that he had passed away.

Catherine said: “Dad was quite independent but his health had deteriorated since Covid. He absolutely loved St Helens rugby though and was working pretty much right up to the end.

"He was a lovable man and he loved his job.”

Ex-colleagues have also paid tribute, his likeability being a clear common theme.

Former Leigh Reporter editor Wendy Moss said: “John was a gentleman in the true sense of the word. He was lovely to work with: so professional and always reliable.”

Former Wigan Observer editor Gillian Parkinson said: “He was a lovely man. I am very sad to hear of his passing.”

Those words were echoed by fellow sports writer and journalism lecturer Tom McCooey.

And there has also been a moving personal tribute from Mike Critchley, senior sports writer on the rival St Helens Star.

He wrote: “Warm, witty and wise. Burscough-born John was an old school reporter, with a passion for sport and sports writing that would never leave him.

"As a journalist he always remembered who he was writing for, and his delivery was always concise.

"In interviews and press conferences he had a way of cutting through the waffle to cut to the chase and get to the story.

"John was a hugely popular among fellow journalists across the rugby league circuit – and much of that was down to his warm and welcoming personality.

"There was a professionalism and pride about his work, and like us all, he knew it was a privilege to be at ringside to cover some of the greatest moments in the history of St Helens.”

During an upbringing in Burscough, John attended local primary and secondary schools plus Southport Technical College before embarking on a 64-year career in local journalism, starting on the Ormskirk Advertiser in 1959 as a junior reporter covering both news and sport (he had had an enthusiasm for both cricket and football since childhood).

He moved to the Skelmersdale Reporter in 1969, then four years later was appointed editor of the Darwen Advertiser and News before fulfilling the same post at the Prescot and Huyton Reporter and the Kirkby Reporter.

And it was in 1982 that he became the editor of the Rugby Leaguer and subsequently the deputy editor/sports editor of the St Helens Reporter.

He officially retired 20 years ago but carried on writing reports on his beloved RL.

His wife Christine pre-deceased him, but as well as his two daughters, John is also survived by five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral details have yet to be arranged.