Wigan Warriors: Kris Radlinski says rugby league wouldn’t be where it is now without Maurice Lindsay

The former Wigan chairman, who has passed away at the age of 81, proposed the idea of Super League which changed the face of the sport.

Radlinski says rugby wouldn’t be where it is now without Lindsay’s influence.

He said: “The enormity of it has blown me away, the world of rugby league is in shock. He’s transcended sport and transcended culture. It’s a sad day for the club.

“If you look at the legacy he created, the signings he made, and the vision he had for Super League, you’d have to question where we would be without him, which is a huge statement.

“Many kids in Wigan grew up supporting Martin Offiah, Shaun Edwards and Andy Gregory. If it wasn’t for him creating the club and signing those players, then the legacy of eight Challenge Cup wins in a row wouldn’t be there.

“The game and the profile of it may not be there either. The impact he had on the club and the sport as a whole is immeasurable.

“He had a vision that no one else probably believed in at the time. He knew what the sport was and knew what he wanted it to be. He stood on a box and said ‘come this way.’

“He paved the path for us all to be here today.

“I’m not suggesting we are where we wanted to be with it now, but if it wasn’t for him doing that then I question where we would be.

“Everyone knows what Wigan did in the 90s, they put rugby league on the map and raised the standards at that time. If he hadn't created that team or squad then there would be no Super League, we would probably still be part time.

“He was a showman and probably one of the most charismatic men you’ll ever meet. He was clear he ran the club and made the decisions, but he was fair and direct. He had a great sense of humour and was great company.

“The most important thing for me is, he genuinely loved rugby league and the possibility of it. I’ve not seen someone believe in that vision for a very long time, he was the original guy to do it.”