PROFESSIONAL sports stars entertain us at a price – and some give exceptional value for money.
These include sporting individuals and teams who are at the top of their game.
Our Sports Awards helped to highlight the very best who, over the past 12-months, have produced a significant sporting performance at national or international level.
Winner of the Professional Sporting Achievement Award, sponsored by The Star, presented by Editor Alan Powell and Mark Rodgers, was Doncaster Rovers.
Under the chairmanship of John Ryan, they have achieved great things. From non-league status they are now at the highest tier in their history - after beating Leeds United in the League One play-off final at Wembley last season.
Host Christa Ackroyd described it as a real Roy Of The Rovers story. But they have to turn things around this season.
Ryan, who collected the award, smiled as he told the crowd at Sheffield's Ponds Forge: "We'll be OK – we'll come right.''
The glittering Edge Telecom sponsored Sports Awards, hosted at Sheffield's Ponds Forge, recognised sporting excellence of all kinds – with the spotlight also on amateurs and business, as well as OIympic heroes, football superstars, boxing idols, cricket legends and other sporting greats.
Other Professional Sporting Achievement Award finalists were:
Howard Webb: He was the only English referee at the 2008 European Championships finals in Austria and Switzerland. The Sheffield official is highly regarded in the game as the referee players respect. His South Yorkshire Police background has enabled him to instill a quiet authority, signaling a desire to work with players but with a firm refusal to be intimidated.
Ryan Rhodes: The 32-year-old won the BBBofC British light middleweight title in April – 11-years after he first won it. He rolled back the years again with a successful defence of his title against Scottish hardman Jamie Coyle at Hillsborough Leisure Centre on September 20.
For more about the Sports Awards, a full list of winners and video clips, click here.What do you think? Post your comments below. READ MORE Blades Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarOwls Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarWatch Premiership highlights, international football, golf, tennis, darts and much moreFootball headlinesMore BladesMore OwlsMore SpireitesMore RoversMore RedsMore MillersMore Ice HockeyMore rugby leagueMore rugby unionMore boxingSports columnistsAll sport categories The full article contains 406 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
