Some champions are remembered for the trophies they won. Others are remembered for the way they made people feel. Ivan Marks was both.

The Man Everyone Knew

Ivan Marks was one of the most popular and charismatic personalities British match fishing has ever produced.

From the great river championships to international competitions, Ivan’s name became synonymous with outstanding fishing ability, infectious enthusiasm and a wonderful sense of humour.

He was a successful England international, an inspirational team captain and a man who never forgot the ordinary anglers who admired him.

It was little wonder that he became known throughout the sport as The People’s Champion.

From Boyhood Hero to Friend

As a young angler, I followed Ivan’s achievements through the pages of the Angling Times. His enormous catches and remarkable performances on Britain’s great rivers were the stuff of legend.

I remember competing alongside him on the Huntspill Drain in Somerset during the days when huge catches of bream were possible.

But it was later, through international fishing and our visits to Ireland, that I really got to know the man behind the famous name.

Ivan was always full of fun, always ready with a joke, and particularly welcoming towards us Welsh anglers.

The Welsh Wizard and the Giant Floats

One of my favourite memories of Ivan came when he visited my home waters on the Lower River Wye.

We were using enormous floats carrying eight or ten swan shot, designed for fishing the powerful river for chub.

Ivan took one look at them and burst out laughing.

“You’ll need a landing net just to land your floats!”

That was typical Ivan. He could find humour in almost anything.

He also gave me a nickname I have never forgotten: “The Welsh Wizard.”

Coming from one of my boyhood fishing heroes, it meant a great deal.

Why I Wrote This Song

Ivan Marks was one of the anglers who inspired me long before I ever dreamed of becoming a World Champion myself.

Later, I was fortunate enough to know him personally and experience the warmth, humour and friendship that made him so special.

I still smile when I remember his joke about my enormous River Wye floats, and I’ll always treasure the nickname he gave me.

I wrote The People’s Champion because Ivan’s greatness was never measured by trophies alone. It was measured by the thousands of people whose lives he brightened.

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