Was he Mefty? If so I stand corrected.
I thought it was mainly Broad, Swann, Prior and Flower - but on a quick google I see Anderson implicated as well so yes - i do stand corrcted
Never met him, but John McGuiness seems a nice bloke.
Tony Hawk. (oh eddiebaby already named him)
Jenson Button
Lachlan Morton for trying anything
“at least I am not terminally dull!”
Erm, about that...
😉
Someone must’ve already suggested Dan Carter. Bloomin gorgeous too inne. 😊
I’m quite bad at reading today. Sorry 😐
As there are a lot of cricketers coming up so far, what about Freddie?
Likes a bit of a party so might get landed with "too much of a lad" but seems to do everything with a smile and gives the impression he would do it all even if he wasn't getting paid.
Recall a story of Ally McCoists...
Plenty of stories about McCoist being a bit of a tool but... Years ago I set up ropes for a press thing prior to a charity abseil at Ibrox. Basically, McCoist was getting photographed and interviewed dangling from a rope to promote the event. Whilst this was going on I was chatting to the guy who ran the Rangers charitable foundation. He said McCoist was the one guy they could rely on to turn up for the charity events and always had been. Went up in my estimation a bit after that.
Just remembered, listen to the Downtime Podcast with Nigel Page from a year or so ago. It's a great listen to those who were into the DH scene back in the day, and he comes across as a thoroughly nice bloke too.
Sadio Mane - https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/six-times-sadio-mane-was-the-nicest-man-in-the-world/
Marcelo Bielsa
Lucas Radebe - former Leeds Utd player who grew up in Soweto and has been lauded for his work with young people in the townships
Marcus Rashford
Some good names mentioned already, but to add.
Sir Alistair Cook,
Nick Craig well deserved his nickname of “The Nicest Guy in Mountain Biking”.
I've met him briefly twice, many years ago now, and was the most genuine, friendly "top sportsman" I've met. First was a Cycle Show. I used to work around the Peak District and would see him out training, and then the conversation got on to kids and schools and what I did for a living and how I should give him a wave when I saw him out riding.
Then saw him a few months later on New Mills high street, had a brief "Hi, how you doing?" moments when he couldn't possibly have any idea who I was.
But I'll second those recognising Rashford, not at all what I was expecting from him. And Troy Deeney is a really interesting guy when interviewed
Damon Hill, comes across as a decent chap.
I had occasion to be part of the O2 paddock at Silverstone for the British GP when he drove for Williams (you might remember they had at the time quite prominent O2 sponsorship) and he joined us in the grass paddock where we had the motor-home and a BBQ rather than go to the GP after party as (as he said at the time) he can be Damon Hill, rather than Damon Hill: The Racing Driver...We sat around in deck chairs tending the BBQ, shooting the breeze, gentle piss taking, and laughing...I must admit I was a bit star struck, but he was just totally down to earth and at ease. every passing spectator that recognised him got a handshake and a signed something or a photo...Just very impressive.
Peter Crouch?
Seems to have a great sense of humour, takes the mickey out of himself a lot.
Wilko is a good bloke, spoke at our annual conference and very kindly signed my lad's england shirt (huge thanks to my CEO for sorting).
Laura Kenny, lovely at the Manchester Velodrome, chatted to my daughter, signed programme and gave her a winners bouquet. In fact most of the cyclists at the Revolution series were all lovely to chat to. Load of other rugby players too, always seem very happy to chat/ have photos with the kids.
Rode with Lachlan Morton over Salter Fell last November.
He's my other son, obviously!
🙂
Erm, I’m sure this wasn’t it, but Chris Hoy is clearly a BAD MAN!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41081756
I met Micah Richards a few years back, when he was a rising star with Man City. I'm not a football fan at all and was expecting him, as a Premiership footballer, to be a nob. He was actually a really nice fella, and I was suitably chastened that I'd assumed he'd be a dickhead when he was actually a really down-to-earth humble fella.
I know naff all of him other than that one encounter, but he seemed like a decent fella.
Graeme Obree is one of the good guys for sure.
Just to a add to the Nick Craig tales, when he won (again) the national cx title this year, as he came to the finish he was just about to lap another rider who would have had to stop ( lucky him, filthy muddy wet course must've been a killer).
NC slowed up and pushed him over the line with a "have another lap"
Bastard !! 😀
The only top sports people I've met are Brian Moore (I like him, seems some others don't) and Roger Hammond, who seems a gent
Scottish Rugby greats...Many moons ago a pal of mine met Gavin Hastings and David Sole. She worked in a hotel where they were both staying for some corporate gig and as a known rugby fan got charged with looking after them. She said Sole was an absolute gent and Hastings the opposite, she was quite upset by him. Doddie Weir seems lovely and is showing real courage/character through his illness.
I'll chip in with Guy Martin, seems like a good bloke
Tony Hawk - see recent short documentary Long Live Livi - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000k06g (watch the whole thing if you like, but it looks like they posted the clip below)
Rodney Mullen - There was a thing a few years back where a skater from the UK got to skate with him and he was nothing but supportive
I like my sports heroes brutal in combat and humble otherwise. As mentioned, Froome does it for me. Hamilton has come on a long way with maturity (and dominance of course). Hoy is just a hero.
Of course since the most self-effacing, charity-serving all-round good guy heroes don’t do it to be seen, we’re probably unaware of them. Those are my real heroes.
Just to a add to the Nick Craig tales, when he won (again) the national cx title this year, as he came to the finish he was just about to lap another rider who would have had to stop ( lucky him, filthy muddy wet course must’ve been a killer).
I love NC as much as anyone (even after the time I came back to my van at a race and found him stealing my biscuits!) but this didn't happen - certainly not at the national champs anyway.
Edit - I take that back, getting my venues and years mixed up (I was one of the commissaires!)
I believe most of the good folk are really the ones who don't put in a lot of effort to their image or even put in a bad boy (or girl) image.
This seems to be prevalent in DH... but perhaps that's the same bias as Ajay...
Not long ago at Rogate a kid had a crash whilst Deakin was doing a photo shoot... he very literally dropped everything and ran to the kid without a moments thought.
Sure his conversation round kids you can tell he has to try... if not quite at warner levels of effort not to swear but he comes across as genuinely nice.
Much the same for the other ladies and gents on the circuit I've met...
First time we met Olly Wilkins he had a load of people in his entourage (presumably from sponsors) and he spent 10 mins talking to my kid then offered to ride a trail with him.
Could go on with others but a bit pointless just name dropping when my association isn't even mine but the kids.
Matthew Pinsent. Helps out as a judge at schools/youth rowing events. Always happy to chat and is really encouraging, no matter how bleak a river bank he is standing on.
worked in a pub in the late 80s/ early 90s in Manchester
Sir Ralph by any chance?
The only top sports people I’ve met are Brian Moore (I like him, seems some others don’t) and Roger Hammond, who seems a gent
I witnessed Roger Hammond having a complete mental screaming and slanging match at a Commissaire during a road race. He absolutely lost it, drove his car at other riders, tried to run the officials car off the road.
Genuinely terrifying to see, he completely flipped over a really minor thing.
He got a hefty fine for it but his behaviour was utterly abhorrent not to mention incredibly dangerous.
So no, he doesn't make the list IMHO.
Sam Warburton and AWJ. And from golf Tommy Fleetwood.
Robby Naish
This...sailed in an informal speed contest with him (and Anders Bringdal) in Maui about 10 years ago...completely down to earth, friendly, offered advice without being condescending. (I was doing 26-27 knots, him and Anders were hitting 40...across a reef with 2 feet of water on it! And I still have a copy of Maui News with my name in the same list of competitors as Robbie 😂)
Tracey Mosley is the most brilliant role model I've found - happy, amazing athlete and competitor, yet seemingly laid back and happy to chat to every grom and patent going.
Ben Ainslie was great when I spent some time with him, although that is 25 years ago. He still seems mr_normal, albeit on the thin end of the Andy Murray happy scale at times...
I forgot - Ellen MacArthur.
Danny MacAskill seems grounded for such a talent but never met him
Colin McRae was always approachable but sadly no longer here
+1 for Tracy Mosley. Really lovely person, always cheerful and committed to helping others achieve.
Danny MacAskill seems grounded for such a talent but never met him
He's really nice. Met him when he did the Road Bike 2 "barrel roll" stunt around that pipe (4:15 in this video
)
There was a bunch of us filming him doing it and they were really concerned that it was all kept secret, asking us not to share it. Danny came round afterwards, had a chat with everyone, said hi to some kids hanging around and just asked us, nice as anything, please don't share, it's really important, we're trusting you all with this.
He was cool though, spent some time with some of the young BMXers hanging round the place, just chatting away
Tracey Mosley is the most brilliant role model
Yes! completely lovely. Spent some time with her at Bike Verbier a few years back, really chilled out and down to earth (also unbelievably* fast as **** on a bike)
*I mean, obviously she's going to be fast...No no, seriously faster than seems possible
Rodney Mullen always comes across as a lovely humble guy. If I had his skills I’d be a right mouthy git.
Heard a story about Alex Ferguson presenting The Boy's Brigade Queens Awards in Aberdeen a few years back.
Stayed on after the awards, was more than happy to chat with everyone. Definitely not the image that came across when you saw him on the TV!
Tanni Grey Thomson was amazing, she used to attend a National disabled childs event every year at Stoke Mandeville, and was photographed with everyone there. Individually. And many were in wheelchairs, so it took absolute ages.
In the CX world, Steve Knight was (and is) the most decent guy you could meet. He'd be riding in a World Cup event on Sunday, the following Sunday he'd turn up to a muddy field in Warwickshire with 50 local riders to have a go at that race.
In one of the World Championship events,~1998, the UK team stayed around 10 miles from the venue in the Czech Rep. It was freezing, with snow on the ground. The team did their training on the course, then all but Steve got in the team bus, he didnt bother, he said he needed to train more, so rode back to the hotel.
Jamie Whitham
Steve Parish
Martyn Ashton
Danny MaCaskill
I’ve met a few good ones, stand out ones being
Willie John McBride
Doddie Weir
Malcolm O’Kelly
All second rows I’ve just realised.
However the most down to earth were Jonathan Rea and Joey Dunlop. Really very humble decent men.
Joey in particular did so much for underprivileged kids in Eastern Europe.
+1 for Chris Froome. We were at the finish line of the penultimate stage of the Vuelta in 2017 on the Alto de Angrilu, our camper van was being used by the UCI to do their doping control as one of their vans had broken down. As leader of the race, he was required to spend about 20 minutes in our van until a sample could be taken. When he emerged he thanked me for the use of the van, stopped for a chat and photos despite his Sky minders wanting him to get the hell out of the freezing carpark at 1,700m. Nice touch for someone who had just sealed victory on the Vuelta and had now all 3 GTs on his palmares.
Marianne Vos was awesome when she rocked up in Cheshunt for the TV when they the Woman’s Road Race started a stage from there. Kryton Jnr just won the u5 TT, and she chatted with him about bikes and things, then went on to invite him to be at the front of a slightly staged background with some kids during her TV interview before signing his Sky shirt.
And then John Jeffery, who spent ages talking to me on a station platform at the Borders - despite the nerve wracking stare he was awesome and free with his time.
And finally Christine Ohurahu, who laughed with me as she stuffed her face with a giant hotdog Loaded with onions from a van at a charity athletics meet.
Jock Taylor, sadly long gone.
Am no football fan but Gary Lineker?
Played the game about as cleanly as anyone and V prominent on social media with on moral and political standpoints which I suspect most here would agree.