SHORT OF IDEAS

If world class stars like Josh and Ronnie can't make final six, BBC awards show needs longer list of talent... or lose credibility

- ANDY DUNN

THERE was a time when there was no shortlist for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award... and it gave the corporation its Bob Nudd moment.

You could vote for whoever you wanted in the old days and, in 1991, the nation's anglers orchestrated a campaign through their trade magazine to try to get Nudd the nod.

Nudd, from Chelmsford, Essex, was, and is, fishing royalty, four times a world champion and the star of DVDs such as 'Commercial Carp Tactics', 'Paste on the Pole' and 'Surface Fishing with Controller Floats'.

He received a record number of votes for SPOTY in 1991 but the Beeb discounted them because they reckoned the campaign amounted to fixing.

And let's face it, Bob and his rod would hardly have given the awards evening the stardust it likes to have.