Collingwood president Eddie McGuire pays tribute to the great Lou Richards

AN EMOTIONAL Eddie McGuire has paid tribute to Lou Richards, declaring he was more than a legend but will always be remembered as a Collingwood person.

LOU Richards was a Collingwood person first and an AFL legend second, says Magpies president Eddie McGuire.

An emotional McGuire was 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, Collingwood or all of football, McGuire said: “He’s a Collingwood person; he’s always a Collingwood person.’’

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McGuire choked on his words as he spoke to the Herald Sun 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.

Collingwood players with Lou Richards at the unveiling of his statue outside the Holden Centre. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

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Elevated to the Hall of Fame but not “Legend” status, McGuire said Richards deserved a category of his own.

“I don’t think there’s anybody who has done what Lou did as player, captain, 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 Pannam-Richards dynasty is still the greatest dynasty in football for games played.

Lou Richards celebrates his 90th birthday with Alex Fasolo and Eddie McGuire.

“Once Louie’s footy career was finished, he turned a suburban game played in one city into what has become the biggest sport and media production business in Australia,” McGuire said.

“He was the pioneer.

“He made football entertaining with League Teams, World of Sport, Wide World of Sport, The Sunday Footy Show and calling the football.

“He was the difference ... to the Sun News Pictorial being the No.1 selling newspaper in the country for many years. He was more than a legend.’’

Richards was unable to attend the club’s 125th celebration on Saturday night, but was there in spirit.

“He had three generations of his family play for the Magpies,’’ McGuire said.

“There has been no one bigger than Lou Richards in the crossover between sportsman and superstar of the media.

“He dominated television, radio and newspapers.

“And he and (wife) Edna, everyone knew Lou and Edna.’’

Lou Richards is chaired off by Collingwood fans.

McGuire said Lou was a guiding light for him.

“As a young reporter he took me under his wing,’’ he said.

“Then when I came to Channel Nine he was great to me. He and Edna gave Carla and I sage advice as a young couple in the media and football world.

“There was a genuine love between us because of our Collingwood-ness.

“It’s not about us, you just lament the passing a massive part of our lives, and the massive part of the game, and a person who just gave so much.

“The Lou Richards spirit will survive.”

Macca’s tribute to Lou Richards.

McGuire said Collingwood would honour the premiership captain as best it could, including players wearing black armbands for their match against Greater Western Sydney this weekend.

“We’ll offer all services of the club to honour Lou Richards ... of course Lou will be given the full Collingwood honours,” he said.

Asked if Richards deserved a State Funeral, McGuire said the Collingwood great should be celebrated regardless of politics.

“That’s for the Government of Victoria to decide but if anyone personified what it was to be a Victorian it was Lou Richards and that would be something fitting if people thought it appropriate,’’ he said.

Richards doing a lap of honour during his last game.

While he “personified” everything that was great about football, Mr McGuire said Richards and his wife Edna were “true royalty in this town” and a genuine love story.

“They were stylish, they were debonair, they gave of themselves, they were the life of the party, they were just wonderful people and it’s a sad day for Victoria and the AFL,’’ he said.

He said Richards should be equally cherished as an Australian entertainment pioneer for his work on TV, radio and in newspapers.

“Lou Richards is a person who could be in the Logies Hall of Fame, the AFL Hall of Fame, the Collingwood Hall of Fame, the publican’s hall of fame,” he said.

“He was an amazing man and what a life he lived.’’