Collingwood ‘ always first’ for legend Louie the lip
LOU Richards was a Collingwood person first and an AFL legend second, according to Magpies president Eddie McGuire.
An emotional McGuire was yesterday told of the death of “Louie the Lip” by Lou’s daughter Nicole when all the family was at the hospital bed.
Asked who owned him, Col- lingwood or all of football, McGuire said: “He’s a Collingwood person; he’s always a Collingwood person.’’
McGuire choked on his words as he spoke to News Corp yesterday on the contribution Lou made to Collingwood, the wider football world and the media industry.
He said statues should be erected outside a multitude of buildings.
“We’ve got a statute for him at Collingwood, but Channel Seven and Channel Nine should have one, the Herald Sun should have one and the AFL should put one right out the front of AFL House and the players association should bow to it every day,’’ McGuire said.
Elevated to the Hall of Fame but not “Legend” status, McGuire said Richards de- served a category of his own.
“I don’t think there’s anybody who has done what Lou did as a player, a captain, a premiership captain, 250 games, was the epitome of the cheekiness of the Collingwood rover and grew up in the shadow of Victoria Park,’’ McGuire said.
“His grandfather, Charlie Pannam, was in the early Collingwood teams. His brother ( Ron) best on ground in the ’ 53 Grand Final. The PannamRichards dynasty is still the greatest dynasty in football in terms of games played.
“And then, once Louie’s footy career was finished, he turned a suburban game played in one city into what has become the biggest sporting and media production business in Australia. He was the pioneer.