Swansea City Sports Review 2008

It's a few years now since the BBC reinvented it's annual Sports Review of the year, someone undoubtedly getting paid an obscene amount of money to come up with 'Sports Personality of the Year' in 1999. Correct me if I'm wrong, but winners of the award in this guise include Jonny Wilkinson, Kelly Holmes, Zara Phillips, Paula Radcliffe, Chris Hoy and Joe Calzaghe.

Wonderful sportsmen and women they all are (Phillips aside-Ofcom should investigate the phone votes of that one), but personalities?? If anyone can remember anything significant that they've ever said, please let me know.

David Beckham only escapes a mention because despite his boring voice, he has an insanely big profile and he often says ridiculous things like that quote about his dad always being there for him since he was 8!!!

Anyway,onto our beloved Swans...by the time this is read we'll have completed our 2008 fixture list, and so I'm going to pre-empt another 0-0 result. I don't think any of us could deny what a wonderful year it's been, and so here's some memories and very special awards from 2008....

Man least wanting a Christmas card from the Liberty....Stephen McPhail- Having picked up 6 cards at the Liberty already this season (4 yellow and subsequently 2 red), a seventh signed by the whole of Swansea is probably the last thing he'd want.

Ref of the year - a multitude of contenders, but for commitment to the ridiculous even outside the Liberty it has to be Stuart Atwell. His reward for his performance in our game v Havant+Waterclosetville and awarding the 'phantom goal'?? A place in the 'world class referees in Britain' list. Now there's a who's who...

Stats of the Year...

League Record in 2008 (I think)

P50 W21 D20 L9

PPG-1.666
Win-42%
Draw-40%
Lose-18%

Unbiased award of the Year - Cardiff City- Welsh 'Team of the Year'. Let's hope we can get a team in some sport to win something in 2009: a league title, a grand slam maybe...hang on...

Unsung hero - Kevin Austin - a man who gave everything for Swansea everytime he pulled the shirt on.

The 'I've finally learned my lesson award' - Huw Jenkins for finally understanding the need to keep schtum about 'done deals' when they are only 'transfer targets'.

Goal of the Season - Jason Scotland v Bristol Rovers - a goal when we needed it most and what a goal with your left foot!

The most overworked man in Swansea - Richie Evans - thought he had a nice cushty job with one-on-ones with Owain T Jones for 2 years, until Marcos Painter, Ferrie Bodde, Fede Bessone and Stephen O'Halloran decided he should probably do some actual work.

Anyway that's enough from me for one year. Happy New Year to Swansea Jacks everywhere!!