Can 20-1 Scholes do a Giggsy?

SPORTS BETTING:

RYAN Giggs came from nowhere to win last year’s BBC Sports Personality Of The Year award.

And it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that another Manchester United golden oldie, Paul Scholes, could be about to do the same thing.

In a year in which England’s footballers flopped in the World Cup and tennis star Andy Murray failed to win a Grand Slam (again), Grand National winning champion jumps jockey Tony McCoy has been installed hot favourite at 15-8

That really likeable heptathlete Jessica Ennis – recommended in this column a few weeks ago at 10-1 – is now a best-priced 13-2 second favourite, while Lewis Hamilton is still available at 15-2 despite having a fine chance of winning the World F1 championship.

Unlike previous years, there seems to be no outstanding candidate, so there is always the chance of someone slipping in through the back door.

And if Scholes is placed on the Beeb’s short list, just watch his price plummet from the current 20-1 on offer.

I have had a saver on the evergreen midfield star as it does not take much imagination to envisage a repeat of last year’s scenario in which United fans from up and down the country – and Manchester! – rallied round to ensure their man came top of the pile.



AMERICAN captain Corey Pavin has completed his team’s line-up for next month’s Ryder Cup and, not surprisingly, Tiger Woods has been handed a wild card.

I don’t suppose anyone of sane mind could afford to leave out a player still rated number one in the world, but what the wives of all the other team’s members will make of Woods’ presence at Celtic Manor is anyone’s guess.

Several of the American players have been in good form of late, so maybe the matchplay extravaganza won’t result in the landslide win for Europe many had predicted.

The Euros can be backed at 8-11, while it’s 7-4 the Yanks and 11-1 the draw.



ENGLAND’S cricketers seem to be in decent shape for their defence of the Ashes Down Under and the bookies are starting to run for cover following strong support for Andrew Strauss’s men.

The 9-2 I recommended for an England series win has long gone and our lads are now a best-priced 12-5 to triumph on Aussie soil for the first time since 1986/87 under the guidance of Mike Gatting.

Australia, nowhere near the force of old but still a threat at home, have drifted to 3-4, with the draw a realistic outcome at 5-1.



RECOMMENDATION: Paul Scholes to be voted BBC Sports Personality Of The Year, 20-1 (Ladbrokes, Boylesports).