BILL McLAREN
OBE CBE MBE
1923 - 2010

Bill McLaren Tribute Night at Murrayfield - 11th March

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Bill McLaren Tribute Night at Mansfield Park- 19th February

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TRIBUTES

Dear John, 

You don’t know me, I simply obtained your email and details from the Hawick RFC website. I’m not sure if you are the right person to contact, but I wanted to pass on my sincerest condolences on the death of the great Hawick man, Bill McLaren.
I write a rugby column in Australia, and attached is my piece from yesterday on hearing the news of Bill’s death. I thought someone from his home club would like to see it, and know that way down here in Australia we were devastated to hear of Bill’s passing. He was the voice of rugby for us too as the ABC used to air the 5 Nations regularly on weekends in the old days.
You can see the piece here
http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/01/21/bill-mclaren-well-never-see-your-like-again/

Please pass on my best wishes to Bill’s family and friends. 

Best regards,

Andrew Logan.

Dear John, 

We received your contact info from Keith Quinn. No doubt you will be receiving messages from around the globe, but I would be grateful if you could pass on our wishes from Sky Sport New Zealand: 

“We at Sky Sport in New Zealand were saddened to hear of the passing of Bill McLaren. New Zealanders have marvelled at the brilliant rugby commentaries from Bill over many years; and we at Sky thoroughly enjoyed Bill’s company on the occasions when he worked with us on some of Sky’s early rugby fixtures back in the mid-nineties.. His great voice, his fantastic depth of knowledge and his wonderful sense of humour were just some of the many attributes that made Bill the iconic man that he was. He leaves a huge gap in the television rugby world, however the contributions he has made to television rugby commentaries will linger on for many years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the McLaren family.” 

From the Rugby Production Unit, Sky Network Television, New Zealand

http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/quinn-bill-mclaren-goodbye-legend-3337185

Dear  John, 

I was saddened to learn of Bill McLaren’s departure to the Top Field.
I know he hadn’t been so well and I’m sure the recent cold weather didn’t encourage him to kick-on a bit longer.
Bill was certainly one of the great characters of our game and an irreplaceable member of the Hawick Rugby community. I am sure all the accolades that he deserved but never sought will be recounted at his funeral service.
On behalf of all the members of the Poneke Football Club we send our sincere condolences to the members of the Hawick Rugby Club and his to his family. 
May he rest in peace.

Kind regards 

Duncan Garvie
Chairman
Poneke Football Club Inc.
Wellington
New Zealand

Dear John,

All at Ayr RFC were saddened to hear of the demise of Bill Mclaren, a true rugby legend and total gentleman, Bill will always be remembered around the world as the voice of rugby.
Could you please pass on our sincere condolences, first of all, to Betty and family and to all our friends and members at Hawick RFC. 

Yours Sincerely 

Gus McKay  Ayr RFC.

This is just a quick note to your club to express my condolences on the passing of the great Bill McLaren.
I loved listening to Bill's commentaries, he was, for me, the voice of Rugby Football, as I heard him call it many times.
Hopefully the BBC will re-show the excellent documentary from a few years ago.
He will live with me forever, heaven has a new voice. 

God Bless you Bill, thanks for the memories 

Nigel Coady

You have lost a great icon of rugby, Bill was simply the best commentator of any sport any where in the world that I have ever heard.
It was a privilege to have listened to him. 

Kind Regards 

Rob Rowley
Leicester Tigers supporter.

We send our very deepest sympathy to all members of Hawick Rugby Club on the very sad death of Mr. Bill Mclaren. How we in Wales loved to hear him from the old Arms Park ground. We always felt that there was a little bit of Scottish blood in us all. He was as well loved in Wales as in his home country.  

From the Trivett family,

Rhondda Valley, Porth,

Wales.

Just a note to say how saddened I am at the passing of Bill McLaren.
His commentaries were absolutely brilliant, with his rich, warm voice, his humorous description of events, always backed up by immaculate research into all players will stay with me forever.
I am a long standing Pontypridd Rugby Club fan, and our fans forum on the website is quickly filling with warm tributes to Bill.
For my own part I recall a game between Pontypridd and Glasgow Caledonians in the old Welsh Scottish league around 10 years ago at Sardis Road.
Bill was commentating on what I believe was his only visit to the ground, and I was determined to meet him.
I scrambled up the stand before kick off, climbed over the barriers to the press area, shook his hand and welcomed him to Pontypridd, I just had to.
He was a real gentleman, shook my hand in return and said how happy he was to be at Ponty.
There was an extra buzz at the ground that night purely because he was there.
In my view he was streets ahead of all commentators today, and far more humble.
We have lost a great man of Hawick, Scotland, Rugby and the World. 

I offer my sincere sympathy to all his family on behalf of us here at Pontypridd, 

May he rest in peace 

Howard Thomas

No doubt along with millions of rugby supporters not only across Britain and the world we are saddened at the death of Bill McLaren. Not only was he the eloquent and knowledgeable voice of rugby but part of a rare breed of BBC commentators (e g John Arlott, Dan Maskell  and Peter Alice) who were highly professional with a common touch.

Bill will be missed.

Jonathan Lilley.

A Wasps’ Member