A sad day........

Yesterday the world lost a sporting legend and I am not talking about George Best! Richard Burns, the only World Rally Champion that England has ever produced, died yesterday as a result of brain cancer. He was a wonderful man, an inspiration, I was getting into rallying just as he was rising through the ranks in 2000. I watched every piece of coverage I could, always wanting to know how he was doing, he was a fellow counrtyman and it felt good to have a sportsman I could respect and talk about to my football loving friends. I couldn't believe it when I read the news of his death, I had no idea, I hadn't been following the recent season. I was shocked and saddened at first but then I grew angry. Why should George Best be lauded and praised when he was a womanising, alchoholic who just happened to be good a football! Richard not only had amazing talent, but did numerous works for charity and fought his illness with humilty and decency, not squandering any chances he was given! It just shows the flaws in this great society when someone as decent as Richard gets one 20 second mention in the news and George Best gets a 2 minuet silence.

Goodbye Richard, the sport of rallying has lost a great icon and I have lost a hero in a world where they are few and far between, god rest your soul.