Ten modern era Scottish sporting greats on St Andrew’s Day
Published:
Jamie Clark, Sports Editor | November 30, 2015
To celebrate St Andrew’s Day, Coral writers look at the greatest Scottish sportsmen. We’ve picked out 10 terrific chaps that have defined their respective disciplines.
Gary Anderson
The only Scottish winner of the PDC World Darts Championship, Anderson is also the current holder of the Premier League. He is 13/2 third-favourite with Coral to defend his global crown at Alexandra Palace this festive period.
Willie Carson
Riding 17 winners of British Classics, jockey Carson enjoyed a staggering 3,828 successful rides in the saddle. His four Epsom Derby delights, including back-to-back victories on board Troy and Henbit, rank among the most memorable achievements in horse racing history.
Kenny Dalglish
Tied with Denis Law as the Scotland national football team’s all-time top scorer, Celtic and Liverpool legend Dalglish became “King Kenny” by rocking both Parkhead and the Anfield Kop.
As a player, he won 10 top-flight titles and as many domestic cups north and south of the border, plus three European Cups on Merseyside. He became Reds boss for the first time in 1985, but played on until 1990.
Stephen Hendry
Snooker was utterly dominated by green baize genius Hendry during the 1990s. He racked up seven Crucible crowns, winning five in a row between 1992 and 1996, eclipsing Steve Davis’ modern era record of six World Championships.
Hendry also lifted five UK titles and had six Masters successes. Only fellow cue king Ronnie O’Sullivan has made more century breaks than him.
Sir Chris Hoy
“The Real McHoy” was worthy of his name as, during his cycling career, he rarely left velodromes without medals. Across the Olympics, World Track Cycling Championships and Commonwealth Games, he grabbed 19 Golds, nine Silvers and as many Bronzes.
Colin Montgomerie
Only three golfers, including tee greats Tiger Woods and Seve Ballesteros, have more European Tour titles than “Monty”, and he is widely considered to be the greatest player to not win one of the four Majors.
Colin McRae
World Rally Champion in 1995, McRae became such a household name in motor racing that he had a successful computer game franchise named after in. He won 25 rallies and recorded 42 podium finishes during his driving career.
Andy Murray
Recently inspiring Team GB to their first Davis Cup title for 79 years, tennis’ current world number two Murray also boasts an Olympic Gold medal from London 2012, a US Open crown that same year and the first postwar Wimbledon triumph by a Briton in the men’s singles in 2013.
Chris Paterson
Scotland’s most-capped rugby player Paterson scored 809 points, mostly from his boot and included 36 consecutive kicks between August 2007 and June 2008. He played at four Rugby World Cups, selected for each tournament from 1999 through until 2011.
Allan Wells
Olympic 100m champion in 1980 and aided by the fact that American athletes boycotted the Moscow games, sprinter Wells switched from the long jump in his early years. He also won back-to-back Commonwealth crowns over 200m either side of his finest hour.
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