Drama on pitch and page

Nov 20 2007 by Chloe Griffiths, The Journal

THE great debate is raging in the North-East as readers cast their votes in The Journal’s new series to find the region’s favourites.

As squabbles divide offices, dining rooms and pubs, scores of you have already contacted us to back your favourites.

The voting started last Thursday and we want all of you to get in touch to help us compile a definitive list of the region’s favourite sporting moments and books – our first two subjects in a series of 10.

Journal columnist and Newcastle United legend Peter Beardsley got the ball rolling by submitting his all-time favourites.

Readers have already voiced their disagreement. Votes that were submitted yesterday included a plea for the moment Steve Harmison took the last Australian wicket at Edgbaston in 2005, during the England vs Australia series.

The moment was nominated by Mark Newbury, of Donkin Terrace in North Shields, who said he had plumped for the moment because it led to England “winning by a mere whisker and setting up the series for a stunning win”.

Graham Pilkington, of Elmfield Road in Newcastle, opted for a North favourite in Jonny Wilkinson’s breathtaking drop goal in the dying moments of the 2003 Rugby World Cup final to take England to victory against Australia 20-17.

But Mr Pilkington’s first choice sporting highlight was the Falcons’ Powergen Cup triumph of 2001, when the rugby union team defeated Harlequins, and third in his ranking was the moment Asafa Powell beat his own 100-metre world record at Gateshead Stadium in June 2006.

As sporting entries flooded in, so too did the votes of booklovers.

Ashleigh Gibson, of Ryehill in Newcastle, plumped for Phillip Pulman’s Northern Lights.

Meanwhile, the squabbles have already begun in The Journal office with staff compiling their own top 10s. Arts editor Dave Whetstone was one of the first to put together his list, jam-packed with classics.

His first choice was George Orwell’s Keep The Aspidistra Flying, while Thomas Hardy ranked highly, taking the number two and three slots with Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure.

Debate was also raging around The Journal’s sports desk, with chief sports writer Paul Gilder and assistant sports editor Richard Neale going head-to-head. You can see Paul’s list on the page. Richard’s choice reflects his love of footballing minnows, Rotherham United.

Now it’s your turn to have your say.

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Journal Chief Sports Writer Paul Gilder’s Top 10 Sporting Moments:

1 Fabulous Flournoy’s Newcastle Eagles win the 2006 BBL Play-off final in Birmingham to complete an historic clean sweep of all four domestic basketball honours.

2 Michael Owen scores a hat-trick as Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England crush Germany 5-1 in Munich in a dramatic World Cup qualifier in 2001.

3 Newcastle United beat Feyenoord 3-2 in Rotterdam in 2002 thanks to Craig Bellamy’s last-gasp goal, to reach the second group stage of the Champions League.

4 Sunderland thrash Luton 5-0 at Kenilworth Road to win the Championship title and complete a remarkable revival under Roy Keane’s guidance.

5 Massimo Maccarone scores a last minute goal against Steaua Bucharest to give Middlesbrough a 4-3 aggregate win and a place in the Uefa Cup final.

6 Jonny Wilkinson’s last-gasp drop goal gives England victory over Australia in the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney.

7 Scunthorpe United beat Leyton Orient at the 1999 play-off final at Wembley to secure promotion from the Football League’s basement division.

8 Gretna upset the odds to thrash Dundee 3-0 at Hampden Park and secure a place in the 2006 Scottish Cup final.

9 Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer bids farewell to an emotional St James’s Park at his testimonial against Celtic in 2005.

10 Steve Harmison’s England beat Australia at the Oval in 2005 to bring back The Ashes for the first time since 1986

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Journal Arts Editor Dave Whetstone’s Top 10 Books

1 Keep The Aspidistra Flying – George Orwell

2 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy

3 Jude The Obscure – Thomas Hardy

4 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte

5 Macbeth – William Shakespeare

6 Adolf Hitler, My Part in His Downfall – Spike Milligan

7 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis

8 Diaries of Evelyn Waugh

9 Goodbye To All That – Robert Graves

10 Skellig – David Almond