Tributes paid to former Wigan Evening Post sports editor Ron Girvin

Former Wigan Evening Post sports editor Ron Girvin has died following a short illness.
Ron Girvin and wife Jean at a Wigan Evening Post reunion eventRon Girvin and wife Jean at a Wigan Evening Post reunion event
Ron Girvin and wife Jean at a Wigan Evening Post reunion event

He spent 20 years in the role with this newspaper and was also heavily involved in sport as an administrator in amateur cricket, football and rugby league.

Ralph Rimmer, the RFL chief executive, said: “Ron made an outstanding contribution to the community game over decades, as was recognised by his addition to the RFL Roll of Honour in 2014. On behalf of the RFL and the sport, we send our condolences and sympathy to his family and friends – and our appreciation for his life.”

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Girvin was the first secretary of the National Conference League when it was founded in 1984, ahead of the inaugural season in 1985/86.

Ron Girvin with Wigan St Judes in 1989Ron Girvin with Wigan St Judes in 1989
Ron Girvin with Wigan St Judes in 1989

He used his organisational abilities to help establish the competition as the flagship of the amateur game while it grew in strength from its original 10 clubs in one division, to become the 49 clubs in four divisions that it is today. In total he served 12 years.

Born in Widnes in 1938, for almost 30 years of his life had administrated the North West Counties League before taking on the new challenge of the Conference. He has also been the secretary of the Wigan Amateur Football League as well as using his skills to assist in the administration of the Wigan Cricket League. On top of all that he was a qualified rugby league coach, having operated in that role with Widnes Tigers in the 1970s.

Trevor Hunt, of BBC Radio Manchester and the RFL Community Board, worked closely with Girvin, mostly on the National Conference League.

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He said: “Firm when he needed to be, but always pragmatic, Ron earned the respect of everyone he worked with in the sporting field as well as in his role as a sports editor on the Wigan Evening Post for 20 years and then the Manchester Evening News, where he covered the professional game for over 40 years.

“He was meticulous in what he did, and having been around so long he had heard all the excuses and was often amused by the new ones that occasional came his way.

“To those who knew him and worked with him, he was a good friend, with sound, solid advice and a rock upon which the amateur game both national and locally has been built.”

A strong family man he is survived by his wife Jean and sons Neil and Ian, who have also been heavily involved in rugby league administration.

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