Last updated at 07:32, Monday, 03 August 2009

A FORMER Evening Mail journalist who later made his mark in broadcasting has died.

Keith Macklin, the noted rugby league and football radio broadcaster, died in hospital in Blackburn on Saturday. He was 78.

He worked in Barrow in the 1950s as a reporter but also covered Barrow RL Club affairs.

A Methodist lay preacher, he started the Layman church notes column in the Mail.

Mr Macklin was a self-confessed workaholic and saw and recorded top-class action across a wide range of sports, from football, rugby league, cricket and rugby union to crown green bowls and Thai boxing. He also reported major news stories.

He did his first Rugby League Challenge Cup Final commentary from Wembley in 1955 - when Barrow beat Workington Town - and had covered every one since.

He was involved in the setting up of Red Rose Radio in Lancashire in 1982 and was the programme controller at its launch.

Mr Macklin did soccer commentary for Yorkshire TV. He wrote several books on rugby and, in November 2007, his autobiography, A Two Horse Town, was published, highlighting his career in broadcasting and journalism.

Former Barrow star of the 50s Reg Parker said: “Keith was a lovely man and on one occasion he said that if Barrow won their next three games he would eat his hat, Barrow won all three games and a cake was made like a hat and the players rubbed his face in it.”

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First published at 18:38, Sunday, 02 August 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk