Radlinski on Lindsay

Following the passing of former Chairman and Director Maurice Lindsay this week, Kris Radlinski has paid tribute to the man who ‘transcended the sport’.

“I woke up in the night and made the mistake of checking my phone and I’d received a message from the Chairman to say that Maurice had passed. We really we got straight to work, we knew the impact he had on the town and we knew that it would be massive news.”

“It’s a shock to us, we visited Maurice a few weeks ago and spent some time with him where he was in great spirits, obviously looked old and a little bit fragile but we had a laugh, shared some memories, talked about the great times at the Club and the impact the sport has had on his life. I remember saying when we drove away that it was also a sad few hours, because it wasn’t the Maurice that we knew but it’s time and it’s tragic.”

“He was one of the most charismatic people you’ll ever meet, he could hold a conversation with everybody and everybody would hang on every word that he said. He had a fall a few years ago and I went to visit him in the hospital, the nurses were just running around the ward doing whatever he said – he had that kind of infectious personality.”

“He was a great storyteller, and good company. Obviously with him being a leader he’s had to make some big decisions along the way, huge decisions, significant decisions for the Club and for the sport. He’s made some comments along the way which infuriated some people within the town and that we’ve had to live with for a long time, but that is what leadership does and he wasn’t afraid to voice his opinions. We’re still picking up the pieces nowadays for that.”

“What I’ve seen in the last few days is the outpouring of emotion from the other side of the World. He had an impact, we talk about people who transcend sports and he was one of them. Where would we be without him going and signing Martin Offiah, Ellery Hanley, Brett Kenny –  these household names put Wigan on the map and we need to just pause for a moment and think of the enormity, the impact that it’s had on us here today.”

“I was playing at the time, Central Park was the greatest Rugby League ground ever and he made the decision to leave. There are Wigan fans who have still never been to the DW Stadium now because they were upset with the decision. Leadership is difficult, you have to have a vision, you have to believe in it and make bold calls – we made one last year in changing our badge and we know how hard that was. Leadership is also, in my eyes, not just dictating that this is what we are doing, it’s bringing people with you and trying to include them, make them feel valued.”

“We can learn from things that Maurice did and said and mistakes that we’ve made along the way as well but that is what makes organisations.”

“I love the joy that the sport has brought to him, when he was telling us stories and referencing the great characters that he has dealt with. I could have listened to his conversation for hours, I had a million questions but you could tell towards the end that he was getting a bit tired.”

“We will do something that will protect and remember his legacy. He is Wigan Rugby League Club and we wouldn’t be here without him.”

Kris radlinski

Ahead of next weekend’s Betfred Challenge Cup Final, Radlinski said: “It’s sad that he doesn’t get to see the game. I’m not suggesting we need any extra motivation but I think part of Cup Finals is story telling and knowing how Matt approaches games, knowing Matt’s knowledge of the Club, I have complete faith that he will include him in all the narrative leading up to the Cup Final next week. It’s just an added bit of motivation for our players and the Club to write their own names in our history.”

Prior to Maurice’s passing, just a few weeks ago Executive Director Kris Radlinski paid him a visit as they filmed an interview for our 150th year celebrations. In celebration of his life, the full 33-minute video with the former Chairman can be seen HERE.

You can also see the full video as Kris Radlinski pays tribute to Maurice Lindsay on Wigan TV, HERE.