RIP John McCrirrick

[Tashyboy]

Proper character

Funeral service will be from the house at 10/1
Followed by burial at his local graveyard at 5/2
Refreshments at the local working men’s club at 5/4

 

[Jacko_G]

Not the most tasteful of posts!

 

[Tashyboy]

Not the most tasteful of posts!

Maybe not, but he was a character, some say a personality. And compared to some of the comments he actually came out with, the opening post is very tame.

Like I say RIP.

 

[GG26]

He did much behind the scenes for the benefit of racing, the most important of which is that he saved the Grand National at Aintree.

Bumped into him once at a bar at Newmarket races and came across as a decent guy.

 

[Jensen]

Believe he was a supporter of The Toon, that's Newcastle United for those south of the Tyne

 

[Hacker Khan]

He did much behind the scenes for the benefit of racing, the most important of which is that he saved the Grand National at Aintree.

Bumped into him once at a bar at Newmarket races and came across as a decent guy.

I was lucky to go to a Channel 4 racing broadcast when they did such things.

My dad used to teach a presenter so we got an invite to go to it and see what happens. Got to sit in in all the meetings and watch it all being broadcast, from the breakfast hour they used to do to the main broadcast later on. And they were all to a man or woman really nice people.

They didn't know me from Adam but they all took time out to chat to me and my dad about the racing. Particular highlights were just me, John Francome and Jim McGrath sitting near the finish line for a couple of hours whilst they did their broadcasts with them chatting away in between the races and talking me through what they look for in horses. And a weird experience of me picking a winner (absolute random guess based on its name) with Francome not, with him then asking me how I picked the horse out. And also going in the winners circle with Tommo.

And McCrirrick was also a really sound chap. Again he didn't know who I was but he spent time talking to me and gave me a lift in his car from the broadcast studio to the course, chatting away. He was exactly the same in real life as he is on TV, treating everyone the same. He was racing mad, RIP.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Not a big racing fan but I think he really helped raise the profile of racing. Wasn't keen on his celebrity TV appearances but a man has to earn a crust. Either way a big personality who'll definitely be missed in betting rings on courses around the UK

 

[SocketRocket]

I believe he was known to have made some mysogynous comments at times. Im surprised there has not been any condemnation by some.

He did seem to be somewhat eccentric and as such drew peoples attention to the sport.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I believe he was known to have made some mysogynous comments at times. Im surprised there has not been any condemnation by some.

He did seem to be somewhat eccentric and as such drew peoples attention to the sport.

Plenty of condemnation at the time, mostly deserved as well. After someone has died it is nice to remember the positives though, keep the negatives for another time.

The eccentricity created a career for him. I don't follow racing but I know him. Not many others in the racing game I could name so his 'act', if it was one, served him well on the whole.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

McCrirrick was a marmite character, old fashioned but doubt theres a bigger lover of racing than him.

His interview with the infamous Barney Curley when he tore Mc a new one was comedy gold.