Sport

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023: All the winners on another big night for Manchester

A great night for British sport and the North West in particular.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 20th December 2023

Tuesday night saw the celebration of not just another 12 months across all British sports but 70 years of the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award and the full list of winners for 2023 is much longer than just one name.

A total of eight different awards were handed on out the glamorous night over Salford Quays’ MediaCityUK hub, with some big characters and lesser-known faces receiving some much-deserved recognition for their contribution to sport over the past year.

The Manc had the honour of going along this year and it was plain to see just by chatting to some of the nominees, past winners, former athletes and other guests how special an occasion the annual award ceremony is — especially now it’s back here in Manchester for the foreseeable.

@the.manc What a great night! #manchester #bbcsports #bbcsportspersonalityoftheyear #maryearps #jillscott #tommyfury #foryou ♬ original sound – The Manc

This year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award winners

Let’s start off with our winner of the titular award itself:

Sports Personality of the Year 2023 — Mary Earps

It couldn’t have been anyone else really, could it? Mary ‘Queen of Stops’ Earps rounded a huge year or so for her and women’s football in general with yet another personal accolade that she was quick to insist wouldn’t have been possible without her teammates and the support from her family.

ADVERTISEMENT

Here’s what the Manchester United keeper and Lionesses hero had to say after lifting the iconic piece of silverware:

Young Sports Personality of the Year — Mia Brookes

The Young ‘SPOTY’ award for 2023 went to snowboarding superstar Mia Brookes, who became the youngest world champion in snowboarding history when she won slopestyle gold in February, Britain’s first-ever in the event, before adding to that a silver at the World Cup in Laax and a big air bronze in Chur back in October.

ADVERTISEMENT

Still only 16, the Cheshire-born athlete has quite the career ahead of her.

Lifetime Achievement Award — Kenny Dalglish

This year’s Lifetime Achievement award went to none other than footballing legend King ‘Kenny’ Dalglish, who was recognised for his decades of dedication to the sport, English football, work with Liverpool and crucial role at the club in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster.

An icon in Merseyside and across the North West in general, he’s one of the greatest players the UK has ever produced and although his speech was filled with plenty of humour, there was also plenty of emotion on stage as he touched on his past teammates, loved ones and gratitude for the award.

ADVERTISEMENT

Helen Rollason Award — Fatima Whitbread

In a similar vein, British athletics legend Fatima Whitbread also took home the Helen Rollason Award, an accolade awarded to individuals for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity: something the champion javelin thrower knows all about as she continues her incredible campaign for children.

Speaking passionately about the award named after the BBC Sports presenter and friend, as well as her experience of the care home system, calling for “fundamental change” to ensure the next generation is “safer, happier and healthier”. Hear, hear.

BBC Sport’s Unsung Hero 2023 – Des Smith

Next up on the night was a multi-discipline award recognizing remarkable work in the community through sport and that honour went to none other than one Des Smith, the chairman of Sheffield Caribbean Sports Club: a safe haven for young people which offers five cricket teams and eight junior football sides as well as netball and hockey teams.

Throughout his time running the club, he has strived to improve race relations and understanding through the club, as well as helping educate locals on the importance of the Windrush generation. An emotional moment for everyone.

Manchester City pick up another treble at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards

Last but not least, it was no surprise to see Manchester City‘s incredible treble-winning campaign recognised at SPOTY 2023 and it was only fitting that such a feat was met with yet another trio of trophies.

ADVERTISEMENT

Taking home Club of the Year and Team of the Year, as well as Erling Haaland predictably winning World Sports Star for his own record-breaking season, you could say there was quite a big blue moon over Salford Quays on the night.

Read more:

What a spectacular night in Greater Manchester and to have so much talent from around the North West on show is a bonus as well.

Congratulations to all of this year’s Sports Personality award winners and hopefully we’ll see you on the red carpet again next year!

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — BBC Sport/Lionesses/Fatima Whitbread/GB Snowsport (via IG)

Sport

Manchester City have started a new football club in the United States

Danny Jones Danny Jones Man City new US youth football club North Texas

Manchester City have officially founded a new football club in North America as the CFG portfolio continues to expand.

Including men’s senior teams, the City Football Group now has at least part ownership of more than a dozen clubs across the globe.

While this new venture is focused on youth football, it’s their second in the United States after New York City FC and could help create new pro pathways into the sport at a grassroots level.

Introducing CFG franchise number 13: Man City North Texas FC.

As per an official statement on their website, “Man City North Texas FC delivers youth soccer programs for boys and girls aged 8–19, led by Manchester City coaches and built on the same coaching methodology developed within the Club.

“Every session is designed to help players become better soccer players, technically, tactically, and mentally, through modern, enjoyable training that builds confidence on and off the pitch.”

Basically serving as another academy setup across the pond, North Texas FC will no doubt help not only develop and create opportunities for aspiring young footballers over in the US, but likely serve as yet another feeder programme/outlet for tapping up the latest American talents.

We’ve already seen fairly recently examples such as ex-players Jack Harrison and Zack Steffen coming through the likes of New York and remaining on City’s wider books and either making the move over for a taste of first-team football or being loaned out to other teams.

Even if they ultimately go on to be sold, the aim is to help nurture youngsters and promise three main takeaways: an “authentic Manchester City methodology”, delivered by actual MCFC coaches, and a clear development pathway.

This most recent ‘youth soccer club’ is just the latest in a long line of fresh Manchester City Football Programs created over the past decade or so, with coaching now being provided to children of all ages across a total of 38 cities in 14 countries.

At present, more than 40,000 kids are estimated to participate in these schemes every year, and thanks to Man City North Texas FC, that number is set to climb even further.

So, if you or someone you know happens to be based in or near the ‘Mean Green’ sporting hub of the ‘Lone Star State’, you can register interest HERE.

Meanwhile, in news closer to home, there are plenty of other big developments happening over at the Etihad Campus. Find out more down below.

Medlock Square: Manchester’s new £300 million entertainment destination on the Etihad Campus

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Manchester City.com

Sport

The Premier League is keeping its crucial cap on away game ticket prices – for now

Danny Jones Danny Jones Premier League extending away game ticket price cap

The Premier League has announced it is extending its crucial price cap for away games, as the general cost of match tickets continues to creep up all over the country.

Most season card holders, be they here in Greater Manchester or elsewhere, are likely looking at their annual spending going up simply, so steps like these are key in keeping first division football as affordable as possible.

And that’s just the ongoing cost of living, let alone the clubs that are continuing the trend of charging more each year and, unfortunately, even pricing some supporters out entirely.

With that in mind, the news of England’s top-flight sides voting unanimously to keep the £30 cap intact for at least another two years comes as relief to those who spend most of the year putting their hard-earned cash towards following their team home and away.

Now confirmed to remain in place until the end of the 2027/28 campaign, travelling fans obviously still spend plenty of money on transport and so on every year, but at least they don’t have to worry about rising general admissions.

At least not for the time being…

Writing in a statement, the Premier League said: “Away fans help create the incredible atmosphere Premier League matches are renowned for. Since the cap’s implementation in 2016, it has contributed to attendance at away games increasing from 82% to 91%.”

They also acknowledged the significant and regular funds that supporters still spend on these trips, with plenty of people online also praising the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), which helped spearhead the campaign over a decade ago.

With so many other obstacles still getting in the way of fans making it to games either at their usual stadium or on an away day – not least of all the constant and increasingly frustrating rescheduling of fixtures – it’s good to see this isn’t an area the Prem are trying to target.

As always, the multi-billion-pound business can always seek out other, newer money spinners, and we’re absolutley certain they will. For instance, there’s at least one happening over in Spain that we’d happily see carried over here.

The Premier League and EFL should follow La Liga’s lead and bring Retro Matchdays to the UK
Please make it happen.

Following the news, this now means that fans will ultimately have enjoyed 12 back-to-back seasons of the benefit, and long may it continue.

Nevertheless, the biggest barrier for people to watch the beautiful game at its highest level in the UK remains the cost of standard tickets.

The likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Leeds and more have already let matchgoers know that their season ticket prices will be going up, and the likes of Man City have already seen backlash for increasing rates amid the expansion of the Etihad Campus.

Swings and roundabouts for some, you could say.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

More Sport

Is Casemiro staying at Man United for another year?

Feature

Could the reaction to Casemiro’s swansong Man United season see him stay ‘one more year’?

Kids & Family

Two incredible locals are running all the way from Rochdale to London for a deeply touching cause

New Bolton link road could help secure Ryder Cup bid for 2035

Bolton

Bolton’s bid for the Ryder Cup has received a big boost

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches