Just who are sports elite?
THERE is no doubt about it. Were it a popularity contest or judged on the amount of column inches in this paper and CTV footage, Ross Allen would be Guernsey sport's elite performer of 2013.
THERE is no doubt about it. Were it a popularity contest or judged on the amount of column inches in this paper and CTV footage, Ross Allen would be Guernsey sport's elite performer of 2013.
Guernsey FC are flying, comfortably out-stripping all sports in terms of profile, and with it comes a whole lot of adulation and hype.
Some GFC fans probably think Ross Allen is not far behind Robin van Persie in terms of his capability for putting the ball in the back of the net.
I'd disagree, even though as an oft-frustrated Chelsea fan, there are times I would prefer the GFC No. 10 leading the line than seeing Fernando Torres drift aimlessly through the game with a touch as heavy as Dumbo.
But there again, I'm sure the Blues' record signing might notch a few in the CCL Premier Division.
I'm being more than a little mischievous there, but Ross Allen is certainly enjoying another outstanding season, and his goalscoring prowess puts him up there with the very best Guernsey goal-machines that more than a century of competitive football has produced.
But, could he be as good as Jersey's Brett Pitman, who is racking them up for Bournemouth in League One?
I have not seen anywhere near enough of young Pitman, the latest in the Jersey family dynasty which goes back three generations to former Muratti captain Doug, but he must be very handy to get that far and one has to seriously doubt whether Allen will ever play at that level.
That's not to say Allen is nothing less than a very fine footballer who looks after himself, is fully committed and is as close to being professional as any footballer living on an island 80 miles away from the UK, could be.
But where does he stand in terms of Guernsey sport's elite?
It was a question I found myself asking after recently highlighting the need to respect athletes with regard to the multi-utilisation of Footes Lane. And having given it a good deal of thought, I believe a strong case can be made now to include him in Guernsey's top 20 modern-day elite performers, as you could his fellow GFC team-mates Angus Mackay, Chris Tardif and Dominic Heaume.
By my reckoning though, only Allen makes the elite 20.
Mackay and Tardif are standout footballers but I cannot find room for them or any of our local-based rugby players, and I have the utmost respect for the likes of Nick Barton, Blair Campbell and Tom Pool. They are top players.
Nor is there room for some very decent cricketers, hockey goal-machine Matt Watson and top netballers, Verona Tomlin and Nena Copperwaite.
For what it's worth, here's the 20, alphabetically by individual sport:
Athletics (4) – Lee Merrien, Tom Druce, Dale Garland and Kylie Robilliard.
Bowls (1) – Alison Merrien.
Cricket (1) – Jeremy Frith.
Cycling (2) – Tobyn Horton and James McLaughlin.
Football (1) – Ross Allen.
Golf (1) – Aimee Ponte.
Hockey (2) – Andy Whalley and Andrew Clark.
Motor racing (1) – Andy Priaulx.
Rowing (1) – Erica Bodman.
Squash (1) – Chris Simpson.
Swimming (2) – Kristina Neves and Miles Munro. It would have been three had Ian Powell not recently retired.
Table tennis (2) – Alice Loveridge and Garry Dodd.
Tennis (1) – Heather Watson.
What do you think?
