It’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year time again and as the bookies have it at the moment, Lionesses star Mary Earps is odds on favourite to win the award this time around.
The England and Manchester United Women‘s goalkeeper has had a truly remarkable year, there’s no denying that, and has already swept up several other trophies and personal accolades over the past 18 months, let alone 12, so it’s no wonder she’s leading the race for Sports Personality of the Year as well.
Having recently added the BBC’s Women’s Footballer of the Year Award to her collection just last month, the news outlet and public service broadcaster has already made it clear how much of an impact she has had in her field this year and we all know how much of an icon she became this summer.
With that in mind, as per Oddschecker, various other comparison sites and pretty much every betting site in the country, bookmakers are tipping Earps as the favourite to win the Sports Personality of the Year for 2023. Just ‘Big Mearps’ things.
Earps is the current favourite to win Sports Personality of the Year.
Virtually every site we can find has the 30-year-old shot-stopper as a shoo-in for this year’s award, with gambling brand Betfair listing her as the 1/10 favourite to win yet another token of recognition from the BBC in the space of just a few weeks.
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With the full list of nominees revealed on Tuesday, the other names who made the shortlist for Sports Personality of the Year include legendary jockey Frankie Dettori, Irish golfer Rory McIlroy and England cricketer Stuart Broad, who is boasting the next best odds behind Mary Earps.
Having retired from the game following the Ashes this past July, he called it quits after becoming England’s second-leading Test bowler with 604 wickets to his name and is widely considered to be one of the best the country has ever produced — the award would be a fitting sign-off to a sparkling career.
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You can see the rest of the names in line to win it down below.
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023 contenders…
🌟 Stuart Broad 🌟 Frankie Dettori 🌟 Mary Earps 🌟 Alfie Hewett 🌟 Katarina Johnson-Thompson 🌟 Rory McIlroy
However, it’s hard to overstate just how much impact Mary Earps has had not only in women’s football but across sports in general, not only giving the nation one of the best sporting memories ever with that incredible penalty save in the Women’s World Cup final, but going far beyond that as a public figure.
Having taken on Nike following their refusal to manufacture women’s keeper kits and winning, with her replica jersey selling out almost instantly, the Nottingham-born athlete stood up not only for fellow players in her position but the women’s game in general, having inspired countess youngsters to get into football ever since the Euros.
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We’d be happy to see any of the names on this year’s list of BBC Sports Personality of the Year nominees take home the award, but if you asked anyone who the first person who came to their mind as a standout star this past year, we reckon the vast majority would say Mary Earps.
Our money is on ‘Mary, Queen of Stops’ sweeping up yet another bit of silverware.
Stockport County to introduce safe standing at Edgeley Park
Danny Jones
Stockport County will soon be introducing safe standing at Edgeley Park as part of the pending stadium development plans.
The Hatters may have just missed out on promotion to the Championship, but it’s still been an exciting few years for the club that has seen a fresh surge in young new supporters in addition to their passionate lifelong followers.
In more fantastic news for fans, County have announced that brand new safe standing sections will be installed across the ground.
Confirming the news on Wednesday, the club said: “After receiving all necessary approvals and working closely with safety authorities, we are set to install rail seating in two designated areas of the stadium.
Stockport County is thrilled to announce the introduction of safe standing areas at Edgeley Park ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Visit the club site for more details on this exciting new development ⤵️#StockportCounty
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) May 28, 2025
As detailed on the club website, there will be two new dedicated safe-standing/rail-seated zones – one in each main stand: the back five rows of seats in the Cheadle End’s upper tier and the back two rows of the Vitality Railway End.
With Stockport Council greenlighting plans for League One side to expand their home capacity, this reconfiguration is set to accommodate a total of 849 County fans and/or supporters.
Although this all depends on final approval from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the aim is to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic environment for both home and away fans at Edgeley Park.”
The official statement goes on to explain that the push for safe standing is not just to provide more matchday options for those in attendance, but in hopes of further “enhancing the atmosphere and improving the overall matchday experience for those who prefer to stand.”
Couty has insisted that “The rail-seating system incorporates a barrier for every seat, ensuring that supporters are protected from a sudden surge or crowd movement.”
Safe standing is part of the larger Stockport County stadium redevelopment plans.
Addressing early concerns in a ‘What This Means for You’ section, they go on to add: “Season ticket holders currently in the affected rows will be contacted directly by the Club over the coming weeks with details on their options, including relocating to a seated area if they prefer not to stand.
“Information regarding new season tickets and matchday tickets in the safe standing areas will be released in due course.
“We believe this is another significant step forward for Stockport County and will further enhance the already incredible atmosphere at Edgeley Park. We look forward to seeing and hearing the renewed energy in these new sections.”
The safe standing plan is set to be introduced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with the administration hoping to make this their last in the third tier. Do you see them going up next year?
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press Shot (via SCFC)
Sport
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Danny Jones -
12th December 2023 
