Ring the changes for prizes
DERBY legend Alan Hinton is calling on Premier League chiefs to give titlewinning players rings rather than medals.
Hinton won the old Division One twice with the Rams in the 1970s – under Brian Clough and then Dave Mackay. But the plaques he received are buried in a drawer and he hasn’t seen them for years.
Last month, the 74-year-old was presented with an MLS Cup winner’s ring, along with the rest of Seattle Sounders’ players, coaches and staff, to mark their 2016 victory.
And Didier Drogba paid £800,000 to have rings made for his Chelsea teammates to commemorate their 2012 Champions League triumph before he joined Shanghai Shenhua.
Hinton, an ambassador for Seattle, reckons they are a much more fun reward than the medals players get here.
He said: “It makes so much sense. I was presented with my ring about a month ago and everywhere I go, adults and children want photos with it. It’s a marvellous way of showing that you are part of the group that won it.
“I’m having the time of my life with it. I’ve got two Division One winner’s plaques from my time at Derby and they are beautiful. But they’re in a drawer, I can’t tell you the last time I looked at them.
“I’m not going to carry a plaque around, but I have my ring on and it’s remarkable how people react when they see it.
“I can only imagine Manchester United fans, Liverpool fans, Arsenal fans, Tottenham fans, whoever, seeing their players wearing these rings — they would love it.”