Is John Major really the ultimate architect of our Olympic success?

[Lenny Rider]

As the debate rages on, clearly lottery funding is a huge factor but I've heard on at least two media outlets that it was John Major that kicked it all off in the wake of the 1996 debacle in effectively the last 9 months of his tenure at Number 10.


Great if this is the case, but unfortunately no doubt Blair had some input as well.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

I bet Edwina had a Major input too.

 

[drew]

I doubt neither he nor Blair could be considered as the 'architect' for this success. The person that advised that using lottery funding would be a good idea is the real catalyst for the change. I very much doubt that Major was sitting at No.10 and came up with the idea himself!

 

[skipper734]

The Lottery was started under Major, it's funds directed towards sport. Along side the lottery money Sport England was created to distribute the money. all in 1996 under Major.

 

[Ernest]

Also the architect for SASTA

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

The Lottery was started under Major, it's funds directed towards sport. Along side the lottery money Sport England was created to distribute the money. all in 1996 under Major.

This.

You could credit Blair, Brown and Cameron for not redirecting the funding.

 

[FIVESTEPS]

Cricket fan John Major gave as his reason for starting the lottery the poor level of cricket equipment in schools and cricket clubs,i remember him talking about the lack of headguards etc.

 

[Gwylan]

Cricket fan John Major gave as his reason for starting the lottery the poor level of cricket equipment in schools and cricket clubs,i remember him talking about the lack of headguards etc.

Well, that hasn't worked well. Our cricket club has NO club gear at all, players have to bring their own. (I played for years by using clubs' pads and gloves). And many state schools don't play any cricket.

Fair play to Major for starting the lottery and the sports funding but Gordon Brown increased the amount available to sport so he deserves some credit too. But most of the success is down to the athletes themselves, the politicians only played a small part

 

[Stat Brother]

Ah John Major, those were the days...


... War in the middle East
Trouble with Europe
Financial meltdown
Political sleaze
Tory party infighting.


It seems like only yesterday.

 

[pastafarian]

Yes he is the architect
Knobbing Edwina Currie requires dedication way beyond the call of duty and what is required by normal humans

A true olypmic effort

 

[The Birdman]

It doesn't matter who decided to put the money in the job not done yet we now need to put more money into grassroots level to build a strong base for our pyramid system more running tracks hockey pitches allweather pitches for rugby and football and sports halls for gymnastics and some of the new sports at schools which should be used for local clubs at reasonable costs. It will also help with some of our worries about health issues with our young people.
No more selling school playing fields and bring back competition in schools. We should introduce scholarships in Universities for sport. Why settle for second place in the table. I am proud of all our sportsmen/women well done.

 

[Gwylan]

bring back competition in schools.

I totally agree with everything you say but I keep seeing this and am baffled. My kids are at school - one primary and one secondary - and there's plenty of competitive sport. It seems that every second week, they're involved in some match or another. And I know from FB posts, that friends in other parts of the country have kids involved in competitive games. Where are these schools were competitive sports are banned?

It's certainly true that there are no leagues in club sports until kids are older. You don't play in cricket leagues until you're in Year 6 and don't play in rugby leagues until Year 7 but that's because the sports want to develop skills rather than have a 'must win' mentality. But I've not heard of uncompetitive schools

 

[Postman Pat]

Well, that hasn't worked well. Our cricket club has NO club gear at all, players have to bring their own. (I played for years by using clubs' pads and gloves). And many state schools don't play any cricket.

Fair play to Major for starting the lottery and the sports funding but Gordon Brown increased the amount available to sport so he deserves some credit too. But most of the success is down to the athletes themselves, the politicians only played a small part

What grants has your club applied for? There are loads available, just need to make a good case in the application. There are some good organisations out there too that can help you write them.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Ah John Major, those were the days...


... War in the middle East
Trouble with Europe
Financial meltdown
Political sleaze
Tory party infighting.


It seems like only yesterday.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

 

[mona]

Major and Brown seem to be the only PMs, in recent years, with a genuine interest in sports.

 

[Lenny Rider]

I totally agree with everything you say but I keep seeing this and am baffled. My kids are at school - one primary and one secondary - and there's plenty of competitive sport. It seems that every second week, they're involved in some match or another. And I know from FB posts, that friends in other parts of the country have kids involved in competitive games. Where are these schools were competitive sports are banned?

It's certainly true that there are no leagues in club sports until kids are older. You don't play in cricket leagues until you're in Year 6 and don't play in rugby leagues until Year 7 but that's because the sports want to develop skills rather than have a 'must win' mentality. But I've not heard of uncompetitive schools

As an aside to this 'non competitive' pc stuff, before he was exposed for the c*** he was, David Belotti was once challenged, tongue in cheek I hasten to add, at a Gulls Eye Dinner by Tony Millard who said the then Albion chief exec wouldn't be truly happy until we had a 'one legged, black lesbian' playing up front for the team, to which Belotti replied "Funny you should say that Tony we're close to making a signing."

 

[GT49er]

Cricket fan John Major gave as his reason for starting the lottery the poor level of cricket equipment in schools and cricket clubs,i remember him talking about the lack of headguards etc.

Hasn't done much for cricket, has it? Cricket at state schools is very much the exception rather than the rule. Cricket has virtually disappeared from mainstream TV, apart from highlights on Channel 5. And crucially, ask yourselves this: when did you last see a group of kids (or a group of lads) playing an informal game of cricket, just one set of stumps, or even a pile of clothes, no umpires or anything like that, in a public space or park?
Thinking back, I honestly can't remember when I last saw that. Cricket is in a parlous state.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Hasn't done much for cricket, has it? Cricket at state schools is very much the exception rather than the rule. Cricket has virtually disappeared from mainstream TV, apart from highlights on Channel 5. And crucially, ask yourselves this: when did you last see a group of kids (or a group of lads) playing an informal game of cricket, just one set of stumps, or even a pile of clothes, no umpires or anything like that, in a public space or park?
Thinking back, I honestly can't remember when I last saw that. Cricket is in a parlous state.

Who was the last England cricket captain to go to a state senior school?

 

[clippedgull]

Someone made a good point on tv this morning.

Lottery funding has facilitated great olympians that our country is rightly proud of.

But all of the SKY money (vastly more than the lottery) has not improved the British football teams.

 

[GT49er]

Who was the last England cricket captain to go to a state senior school?

No idea. But presumably he went to one of the exceptions that do include cricket. Or he may have just joined a local club out of school hours.