Rugby League: One thing Terry Newton said that day haunts me

Never had a day at the rugby quite like Sunday. Dont want one.

The first thing I heard after arriving at the Halliwell Jones was the terrible news that Terry Newton had been found dead. Check around and find its all too true.

I admit to being thoroughly spooked by this. A few weeks before Id spent an afternoon at his pub at his invitation to talk about his ban, his book and his plans for the future.

Superficially, he was handling it well; underneath, as I think emerged in the feature I wrote for Rugby League World magazine, I thought he was deeply depressed.

You ask yourself in these situations whether theres more you could have done. Is it good enough to turn up, do the interview, write the piece and wash your hands of it? What else can you do? If Id shared any concerns with somebody closer to him, would I have been telling them anything they didnt know? I doubt it.

One thing Terry said that day haunts me. He would, he said, be remembered for two things taking drugs and smashing Sean Longs cheekbone. Well, now its three.

He deserves better than that. He could be a ruthless and over-aggressive player, but he was undoubtedly a gifted and brave one.

He was capable of being an idiot off the field, but he had a lot of warmth and good about him as well.

Thats something that should be remembered on Saturday, especially by one man who approached me in the press box at Warrington.

Was it true that Terry Newton had committed suicide, he asked me.

Yes, I was sorry to say that it was.

And was there going to be a minutes silence at the Grand Final?

I wasnt sure at the time, but I thought there might well be.

If there is, Im going to boo through it, he said, rather proudly.

Wel l, whoever you were, thats just about the harshest thing Ive ever heard anyone say about a fellow human being. So congratulations on that.

Terry Newton did some things wrong in his career. He knew that better than anyone and he has surely paid the price.

After that, it almost seems trite to say that the rugby that day was great. Even with a 45 minute interruption whilst the stand smouldered, the Halifax-Featherstone game was a classic. And Rob Worrincys try was the best Ive seen this season.

If theres as magical a moment at Old Trafford, well all be richly entertained.

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