Every year I watch the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY).  In fact I have been watching it all the way back to when Gazza won it in 1990.  Watching last night edition was all the more memorable as it was won by someone that really deserved it – Ryan Giggs.

Before I continue I would like to just say that I am in no way a Manchester United fan or indeed a fan of any club.  I have my favourites I suppose like anyone watching football matches but a true fan of any club I am not.

Watching the BBC Sports Personality of Year really does bring back childhood memories each year that it is on the TV.  I always remember as a youngster looking forward, to looking back at the sporting year, and I would always watch SPOTY in the lounge with my dad.  Strangely I also have the recollection that it was always the same night that SPOTY was on which was when my mum would erect the family Christmas  tree in the corner of the room.  Whilst she was doing this the cat (and then cats!) would be wrestling with the decorations that mum was trying to put on while me and dad were watching the TV.  What my brother was doing at this time I can’t really remember.

Anyway enough family history and back to the point of this post.  Sports men and women are paid phenomenal amounts of money these days.  High salaries maybe but that high?  Well that is probably another post for this blog, but my point being is that it seems the more a lot (not all I might add) of these young stars get paid then the more that we will see them on the back (and more often these days the front) cover of Britain’s newspapers indulging in some yobbish behaviour.  It seems there is always something about someone in the papers doing something that shouldn’t be.  In fact the behaviour of some is terrible.

Ryan Giggs however is the opposite.  How many times do we see him falling out of a club at 0300 in the morning drunk and causing a scene?  How many times do we see his Mrs plastered all over the pages of the papers in little clothing?  Never is the answer.  Giggsy is a thoroughly decent, family bloke that deserves all the credit that he receives.  Not only he is a nice chap but an outstanding footballer and a great ambassador for the game in terms of his skill, the way in which he goes about his professional career and his loyalty to his employer, Manchester United.  Well done Ryan, you deserve every bit of the limelight that you received last night.  It is just such as shame that the rest of the premier league stars are not like you.