Incoming RFL president Sir Lindsay Hoyle vows to ‘make a real difference’

Sir Lindsay Hoyle intends to “make a real difference” when he becomes president of the Rugby Football League.

The 65-year-old Speaker of the House of Commons will become the 31st president of the governing body in December and insists he will not simply be a ceremonial figurehead.

In an interview with the PA news agency, the long-serving Labour politician revealed how he has been flying the flag for rugby league ever since becoming MP for Chorley in 1997.

“I’m still president of the All Party Parliamentary Group and I always bring rugby league up in the House whenever I can,” he said.

“Behind the scenes I’ve been very active and always will be because I’ve got this great passion for rugby league.”

Sir Lindsay played a significant role in securing a £16million Government emergency loan to help rugby league through the coronavirus pandemic and did not waste an opportunity to raise the game’s profile when hosting the annual G7 Speakers Conference last September, presenting each of his counterparts, including Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, with personalised Warrington shirts.

He is steeped in rugby league, having been introduced to the game by his father in the 1970s.

Doug Hoyle, now 96, was MP for Warrington and chairman of the town’s rugby league club from 1999-2009 but by then his son had already performed that role with another professional club, having helped Wigan-based Springfield Borough relocate to Chorley in 1988.

“From then on, I’ve been involved in rugby league all the way through,” he said.

Sir Lindsay is accustomed to feisty exchanges in his role as Speaker and says he had run-ins with the RFL during his active involvement in the game, revealing he voted against the £87m Sky deal in