Nominate your sporting heroes

Hall of fame to immortalise region’s finest

People of Airdrie and Coatbridge can now nominate their heroes for induction to the prestigious North Lanarkshire sporting hall of fame.

The class of 2019 will join Airdrie footballer Pauline Hamill and Coatbridge boxer Ricky Burns – inducted this year and in 2017 respectively – in being immortalised for outstanding success in their fields.

The hall of fame is now in its third year and aims to “celebrate the rich and diverse range of sporting success throughout North Lanarkshire”.

It runs along the main corridor of the Ravenscraig Regional Sports facility in Motherwell and features 20 colourful boards with photographs and information on each of the inductees.

As well as Monklands’ own Hamill and Burns, other previous winners include the Lisbon Lions, snooker’s John Higgins, Sir Matt Busby and judo champions Louise and Kimberley Renicks.

The hall of fame is supported and endorsed by sportscotland, clubsportnl and made possible through the sponsorship of Airdrie firm, Albert Bartlett’s.

Each suggested nominee will be considered by a judging panel and the inductees will be unveiled at a ceremony next spring.

Council leader Jim Logue said: “North Lanarkshire became the first local authority to celebrate sporting achievements and it has proven to be a real success, demonstrating the breadth and depth of sporting talent across our area.

“One of our goals behind the project was to encourage the next crop of talented athletes to be inspired by the achievements of their predecessors and anyone visiting Ravenscraig cannot fail to be impressed.

“In the first two years we’ve included sporting greats from athletics, boxing, cricket, football, golf, handball, judo, karate, paranordic skiing, rugby, snooker, swimming, volleyball, wheelchair rugby and ultrarunning.

“It’s been a fantastic project and I look forward to welcoming the 2019 inductees early next year.”

International footballer Pauline Hamill, who made a then-record 141 appearances for the Scottish national side between 1992 and 2010, becoming the first woman to reach 100 caps in the process, said of her induction to the hall of fame’s 2018 class: “I feel honoured to have been nominated and inducted into North Lanarkshire’s sporting hall of fame.

“To be mentioned in the same breath as all these other truly inspirational sportspeople is actually quite surreal.

“My biggest satisfaction is seeing how the national team has progressed over the years, including qualifying for their first major finals in the Netherlands last year.”

Pauline was described in her hall of fame citation as “a true inspiration and role model to girls and women who want to play or coach football”.

Inductees must have a strong connection with the area – such as being born there, or having lived there for a long time, and excelled at a national, European or international level.

People can suggest who they think should be included in the 2019 North Lanarkshire Sporting Hall of Fame by visiting www. nlhalloffame.scot

Honour Airdrie’s Pauline Hamill was inducted this year