Tributes to Ron ●Farewell Ron
Tributes have been paid to a stalwart of the rugby press box who died last week at the age of 75.
Ron Evans’ striking reports were a feature of the Ayrshire Post’s sports pages for more than three decades.
Ayr Rugby hailed him as an “unforgettable character” reporting on their fortunes across the country and at all levels of the game.
President Stewart Kerr said: “All at Millbrae are truly saddened by the loss of a friend and familiar face in Ron.
“He has been a part of the club for over 60 years.”
Warm tributes have been paid to Ron Evans whose striking rugby reports were a feature of the Ayrshire Post’s sports pages for more than three decades.
Ron, who lived in Prestwick, died last week at the age of 75.
Ayr Rugby hailed him as an unforgettable character in press boxes across the country and at all levels of the game.
President Stewart Kerr said: “All at Millbrae are truly saddened by the loss of a friend and familiar face in Ron.
“He has been a part of the club for over 60 years.
“Throughout all of Ayr’s memorable moments, Ron wasn’t far away with a microphone in hand.
“His weekly scribblings championed the club’s successes and informed the masses of our every move.
“When rugby returns to Millbrae, it won’t be the same without Ron in the press box”.
Callum Kerr, who succeeded Ron in providing Ayr’s match reports to the Post, said: “As an aspiring writer and journalist straight out of school I couldn’t have asked to make a better friend in the press box than Ron.
“With a little over 50 years between us, I was immensely grateful for the time he gave me.
“Scottish club rugby was his passion and it was hard not to catch the infectious bug through his husky voice and unmatched enthusiasm.
“As I continue to report on his beloved Ayr RFC, he’ll be in my mind – most likely re-writing the match report.”
Former skipper Damien Kelly described Ron as an absolute legend and added: “So sad to hear this. Loved our chats at Millbrae and talking shop.”
SRU president Ian Barr said Scottish rugby had lost a great friend and servant of the game and true champion of our clubs.
He added: “I know I speak for clubs the length and breadth of Scotland in expressing our sincere sympathies to Ron’s family and many friends.”
Iain Ferguson recalled working with Ron on the sports programme at West Sound and said he was a really friendly guy who was knowledgeable about his rugby and in particular Ayr Rugby Club.
He said: “As the host of the sports programme, I would talk down the line to Ron around 5.30pm every Saturday and listeners could share in Ron’s expert
views and opinions on the game. He occasionally had difficulty getting through or hearing his cue and I used to have to ask ‘Ron, are you there Ron. Ron ?’ As a result of these exchanges, we nicknamed him ‘Da Do Ron Ron’ after a hit record of the 1960s.
“He always had a smile on his face and carved a niche for himself in the Scottish Rugby scene in more recent years covering games from all over the country and being regular on the Scottish Rugby TV channel.”
A former pupil at Ayr Academy where he played in the school team, Ron’s love for rugby saw him enlisted to the late Glen Stirling’s Glasgow Sports Agency where he was a key contributor of match reports.
His involvement at Ayr saw him for a time coach minis and serve as match secretary. And he would relate how in the early 1960s he would pick up stones from the former market garden and help transform it into the now Millbrae pitch.
Ron was the founder, owner, presenter and commentator of Scottish Rugby TV which for several years provided top coverage of the club game.
Reporting on Ayr’s rise to become Premiership champions filled him with emotion and pride.
Ron, who was part of the media and commercial operation at the then Glasgow Caledonians, launched his Rerite Sports results service which collated scores from every rugby game in the country. Summer saw him turn his detailed attention to cricket.
He would often cheerily answer his phone to “Rerite International” and through his work servicing media outlets and the SRU became one of the most well-connected figures in Scottish rugby.
Condolences go to Ron’s mum Anne, 100 last year, his sons Glyn and Greig, daughter-in-law Jodi and grandchildren Conor, Ella, Mia and Tilly.
I know I speak for clubs the length and breadth of Scotland in expressing our sincere sympathies to Ron’s family and many friends
SRU president Ian Barr