It must be said too, that he is also a very likeable man.
very true Graham, Eric is a true gentleman of the sport and I had the great privvilage of classing him among my closest angling friends for many years, the last time we fished together we spent two week in the middle of a French Lake on an isolated island, Eric actually insisted on driving all the way from Sheffiled via Manchester to France, he even spent a night in the bar while we watched the acts on the overnight ferry, let alone he spent two week bivvied up, quite a feat alone for a man in his 70s, and never once did I see him take his tie off, a true embassador who would do anything for anybody and it has been a great privvilage to know him.