After a fantastic year of sport, with the Olympics in Rio, Euro 2016, plus one of the most astonishing Premier League winners in recent memory, our writers look back on their favourite sporting moments of 2016.
Elliot Hawkins – Leicester City winning the Premier League
I don’t think you can look past Leicester City. Their whole story was incredible but that Chelsea v Tottenham match which handed them the title was one of the best watches of the season. Every football fan in the country was supporting Ranieri’s men that night and that’s not something you see very often. Greatest achievement in sporting history in my opinion.
Dan Creesey – Leicester City winning the Premier League
Andrea Bocelli serenading the King Power Stadium with Nessun Dorma ahead of Leicester City’s final home match of the 2015-16 season. Claudio Ranieri’s champions defeated Everton 3-1 before captain Wes Morgan lifted the iconic trophy, capping off the greatest sporting story of all time, the like of which will never be repeated.
James Williams – Lincoln City defeating Oldham in the FA Cup
Unsurprisingly I’m not going to say Leicester! There’s been loads of great sporting moments but for me watching Lincoln City hold on to beat Oldham in front of a packed Sincil Bank to reach the third round of the FA Cup will live long in the memory. Hopefully there are more great moments still to come for the Imps in 2017… promotion?
Ollie Collins – England Rugby Union finishing the year unbeaten
Quite surprised no one has mentioned this one yet, but for me it has to be the England Rugby team. Eddy Jones took his side to their first Six Nations Grand Slam since Sir Clive Woodwood’s World Cup winning side of 2003. Not only that but England won 14 games in a row to equal their all time record of consecutive wins. A fantastic undefeated year for England Rugby. Bring on the World Cup in 2019!
Anil Lall – Leicester City winning the Premier League
Has to be Leicester City winning the Premier League title. 5000/1 at the start of the season after miraculously staying up the season before says it all. To have maintained top spot for virtually the entirety of the season, and then to go on and actually win the title when every single supporter and pundit doubted them at some point is incredible. Vardy, Mahrez and co. smashed records, and key results, such as wins against Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea helped them on their way to an achievement which will go down as the second biggest fairytale in English football history (after Nottingham Forest’s unassailable achievements between 1976 and 1980 – research it if you don’t know the story!
Sam Hewitt – Leicester City winning the Premier League
Not so much a sporting moment, but Leicester’s remarkable season winning the Premier League against all the odds is definitely the story of 2016. Nearer to home, Lincoln’s FA cup win against Oldham at a packed Sincil Bank was a special moment for the club, as they look to get back into the Football League. And let’s not forget Team GB’s brilliant Olympics performances this summer. It really has been a great 2016 for sport.
Kieran Hymus – Leicester City winning the Premier League
I’ve tried to think of one but I don’t think any sporting moment is greater than Leicester winning the title. There’s so many amazing stories involved in the league win! Vardy’s rise from non-league football to Kante, Mahrez making names for themselves and not to forget players like Marc Albrighton and Danny Simpson who revived their careers. It was an incredible achievement and one that will surely go down in history.
Danyal Khan – Iceland’s Euro 2016
Possibly not a memory most of us English people want to relive, but if you were a neutral, what a game that was seeing Iceland beat England in the knockout stage of an international tournament. Iceland were incredible to follow throughout the whole competition. They were humble, inspiring as well as a joy to watch. When people say why you love football so much, Iceland’s campaign was a perfect example why we love the beautiful game.
From all of us at LincSport, have a happy New Year, and may the sportsmen/women or team you follow give you happiness in 2017!