Greatest British sportsman of all time

[NickDRFC]

Gary Lineker has just suggested that it's Andy Murray. I'm struggling to disagree.

The floor is open...

[tommy toes]

Rigo casting the net.

[knockers]

Daley Thompson was great at ten sports not just one so he should get it!

[NickDRFC]

Not going to bite. The only other plausible name I can think of right now is Steve Redgrave.

[Donnywolf]

Rigo casting the net.

Fishermen never win SPOTY !

[BillyStubbsTears]

Andy Murray? Greatest British sportsman of all time?

Christ, we don't half get things out of perspective. He's a very, very good tennis player, but he's not even in the top three globally in his era.

You have to choose someone who's dominated his event globally for a long period.

No question: Phil Taylor.

[Donnywolf]

Gary Lineker has just suggested that it's Andy Murray. I'm struggling to disagree.

The floor is open...

Trouble is you have to compare apples with pears.

Individual sports person v Team Sports person and then the same discussion on the sports persons effect on his or her Sport be that Tennis or Rowing or F1 or Football.

Is Hamilton "better" than Mansell or Stirling Moss . I say yes

Is Murray the best Tennis Player we have produced ? Lets say yes for the sake of argument

Now is Hamilton "better" than Murray ? I would say yes (but its very subjective) and I have not added Lester Piggott AP McCoy for Racing Booby Moore Bobby Charlton for Footy Daley Thompson Athletics Sir Steve Redgrave Rowing Chris Froome Cycling

Cant be done imo

[tommy toes]

I'll see your Phil Taylor and raise with Arthur Shufflebottom. 9 times fives and threes champion and crib grand master.

[NickDRFC]

There's nothing to bite at anyway, unless you're really becoming that precious.

Anyway, Lennox Lewis?

The question "who is the greatest British sportsman of all time" you named someone who had a half decent playing career north of the border and didn't represent his country. Admittedly he was then arguably the finest manager (note manager, not player) of his or any other generation.

You're either fishing or a f***ing idiot.

Congratulations on reeling me in.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Actually, it's got to be Big Daddy.

He never, EVER lost. And look at the size of some of his opponents. Big Daddy was a phenomenon.

[Filo]

Actually, it's got to be Big Daddy.

He never, EVER lost. And look at the size of some of his opponents. Big Daddy was a phenomenon.

Kendo Nagasaki beat him

[Glyn_Wigley]

CB Fry!

[coventryrover]

Andy Murray? Greatest British sportsman of all time?

Christ, we don't half get things out of perspective. He's a very, very good tennis player, but he's not even in the top three globally in his era.

You have to choose someone who's dominated his event globally for a long period.

No question: Phil Taylor.

I Have to disagree.  He's been in top three for some time.   Federer, Nadal, Djok..to get to 10 GS finals and win 3 is top class.

Phil Taylor just plays a pub game

[coventryrover]

Mark Cavendish and Froome
Murray
Hamilton
J Root, Anderson, Cook, Broad
Itoje, Haskell,

Definitely blessed with great sports people at the moment

[wilts rover]

Fred Perry won 10 major titles including Wimbledon three times and 4 Grand Slams - and he was also world Table Tennis Champion at the same time.

Andy Murray isn't even the greatest British tennis player of all time - never mind all-round sportsman. Wait till he has his own clothing range, then he might be close.

[RedJ]

Mark Cavendish and Froome
Murray
Hamilton
J Root, Anderson, Cook, Broad
Itoje, Haskell,

Definitely blessed with great sports people at the moment

Wiggins has virtually done it all on the bike so arguably him too.

[NickDRFC]

Fred Perry didn't play in the same era as 3 players who could arguably be called the 3 finest players of all time. If Murray had been born ten years earlier this wouldn't even be up for debate.

[coventryrover]

Fred Perry won 10 major titles including Wimbledon three times and 4 Grand Slams - and he was also world Table Tennis Champion at the same time.

Andy Murray isn't even the greatest British tennis player of all time - never mind all-round sportsman. Wait till he has his own clothing range, then he might be close.

Murray would beat Perry though

[RedJ]

Well yeah, he's dead...

[BillyStubbsTears]

Andy Murray? Greatest British sportsman of all time?

Christ, we don't half get things out of perspective. He's a very, very good tennis player, but he's not even in the top three globally in his era.

You have to choose someone who's dominated his event globally for a long period.

No question: Phil Taylor.

I Have to disagree.  He's been in top three for some time.   Federer, Nadal, Djok..to get to 10 GS finals and win 3 is top class.

Phil Taylor just plays a pub game

Coventry.

You misunderstand me.

When people look back on the period 2000-2020, or 2005-2020, they won't have Andy Murray in the top 3 of the era.

And I think you missed the sarcastic note about Phil Taylor. I figured that if we were going to consider Stephen Hendry, we ought to be also considering the REAL maestros of athletic endeavour.

[Copps is Magic]

If we're talking sportspeople who have for some period or in some way dominated their respective sports then I would throw in names such as;

Jonathan Edwards
Lennox Lewis
Brownlee Brothers
Chris Froome
Kevin Keegan
Tanni Grey-Thompson

Gareth Bale I think will be a contender in a few years time, as will Ennis if she can do it at two Olympics. I can't take Redgrave seriously. Sitting in a boat with his middle class chums in a past-time not many people take part in in the first place.

[BillyStubbsTears]

There is a blindingly obvious one that no-one has mentioned, who wins hands down for me.

Mo Farah.

[NickDRFC]

BST - Mo Farah was another I thought but hadn't mentioned. Good shout.

[Copps is Magic]

There is a blindingly obvious one that no-one has mentioned, who wins hands down for me.

Mo Farah.

Only done it at one Olympics though, whereas plenty of others have done it at two. Why would he come above those?

[coventryrover]

We are very very fortunate....definitely punch above our weight.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Because he has utterly dominated his events at every major championship for 6 years.

He doesn't just peak for Olympic Games. He has been consistently pretty much untouchable on a consistent basis for years.

That puts him in extremely rare company in the history of his sport. Probably only Usain Bolt can unequivocally say he has a better record.

I can't think of any other British sportsman in a serious sport who has so utterly dominated his global competitors for so long.

Maybe Daley Thompson.

[Copps is Magic]

I can't think of any other British sportsman in a serious sport who has so utterly dominated his global competitors for so long.

Then Chris Hoy must have slipped your mind. A man who has done it at 3 Olympics and unequivocally dominated for 10 years.

[Colemans Left Hook]

Gary Lineker has just suggested that it's Andy Murray. I'm struggling to disagree.

The floor is open...

if you are proposing  a scottie dog
you've got to put George best in ?


uk
 

[BillyStubbsTears]

Yeah, good one.

I guess he slipped your mind too in your original list. Sunday nights, eh?

[Copps is Magic]

Chris Hoy is always on my mind.

Anyway, my list was slightly left-field. I think probably only one of those names (Lewis) would get in a top-10 list if it was put to popular vote.