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Specialist ProgrammesYou are in: Lancashire > Radio Lancashire > Specialist Programmes > Mike Latham  Mike LathamBBC Radio Lancashire’s Rugby League host, Mike Latham, is a self confessed sports nut. As far as Mike is concerned there is only one game. His catchphrase for his show is: “Great guests, great chat and the subject - the greatest game of all.” “Rugby League is a fantastic game- it is the toughest and most physical and most exciting of games and the players are so skilful, brave and down-to-earth,” Mike says. “They are not “Billy Big Time’s” like so many soccer players and are willing to travel to Blackburn or come on the telephone and spread the word. “Coaches, administrators, referees, former players and journalists also all happily give their time to come on the programme and hopefully the show has become established not just in the Radio Lancashire area but further a-field. But it always amazes me when the toughest of players, used to slugging it out on the field, are sometimes reduced to a shivering wreck when they experience live radio for the first time. ” Mike was introduced to the game by his dad and what a first season he had. “I first went to watch Rugby League at Leigh in 1970/71 and the season ended with Leigh beating Leeds 24-7 in the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley. That game is still one of my fondest memories,” he says. His favourite player is Leigh legend John Woods, who joined him in the studios two years ago. “What an honour that was,” Mike says. “I was the shivering wreck that day, being in the presence of greatness.” Regularly going to upwards of 150 games a season, Mike also is an avid soccer fan and recently completed the “Holy Grail” of visiting each of the current 92 Football League grounds and the 42 Scottish League grounds. “It was always my ambition as a young kid to go to all the grounds and I achieved that at Bournemouth and Inverness respectively during 2004,” he says. “It’s meant a lot of long motorway journeys but it’s all been worthwhile. I’ve also been to all the Highland League grounds in Scotland. So you could call me a Groundhopper.” That quest completed Mike has set his targets on visiting all the Conference, Unibond League and Welsh Premier League grounds as well as completing a visit to all 59 of Britain’s racecourses. “BBC Radio Lancashire, in particular Gary Hickson and John Clayton, has been really supportive of Rugby League and we get a fantastic response from listeners. We go around the year, 52 weeks a year, and it’s a huge privilege and a lot of fun to be able to spread the word.” last updated: 29/01/2008 at 15:02 Have Your SayTell us what you think about Mike...
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Rugby Fan now fed up with Football.
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