Is this thread still going on? Andy Murray closed it two weeks ago..........

What you mean is

Either because their achievement wasn't all that epic or because they robbed a more deserving contestant of the title? OR In my opinion they shouldn't have won

Your comments in brackets are very derogatory to the sports star. Remember for most of those years it wasn't even a shortlist so it was Joe Public deciding entirely for themselves. Even if I don't agree with the winners I would never begrudge them.

Lets examine one of your comments.

Chris Chataway. Yes Bannister broke the 4 minute mile but you neglect to mention that Chataway also set a world record that year too. Perhaps it doesn't help your argument to present those facts too

But you have to say David Beckham did not deserve to win Sports Personality of the year just because he scored a free kick when there were clearly others that achieved a lot more him that year

Also Ryan Giggs winning over Jenson Button who won the World Championship in the second best car behind a Mclaren

What was that about

If you think David Beckham won the SPOTY for a free kick then you are either extremely naïve or playing dumb. And who were those who were 'clearly more deserving' ?

The poster says about Ellen MacArthur but she came second and in his other posts coming second means you aren't good enough so its inconsistent.

Why hark on about past events ? You cannot change the result so just accept it and move on.

Ok, so here's a controversial opinion: I don't think Andy Murray should win it! He won it last year and two year's before that. Yes, what he has achieved is incredible, but he has that opportunity every year and throughout the year. I think someone in a sport where the Olympics is the pinnacle, should win. My personal choice would be Mo Farrah. He has won double gold in the last 4 global championships, including 2 Olympics. This is unparalleled and in my opinion he is very underrated - never making the top 3 at SPOTY.

As a swimming parent I would also support Adam Peaty, who doesn't seem to be anywhere in the running. The margin of victory in his 100m Breaststroke was 1.5 seconds, in a sport where hundredths often divide the places! His winning margin was the equivalent of Usain Bolt's win in the 200m when he set the world record. I know the hours of dedication that would have been needed to produce that result. Unfortunately a very underrated sport.

Do you think the public might be bored of Andy Murray winning nearly every year and might just vote for someone else

I can but hope, but I doubt it.

Well if us two vote for someone else. Maybe others would follow

You hope the public are bored of him winning ? That's not very sporting is it ?

Plus why shouldn't he win it year after year ? The award is for that year and what he has achieved has never ever being achieved by a Briton so why should he be penalised because its an Olympic year ? Sorry but that is very strange logic.

I am a huge fan of Mo and was all set to vote for him until Murray went to world number 1. That eclipses everything to me and I certainly don't think he should be criticised for it. Outstanding effort and one we may never see again.

It could be argued Murray done more to win it than in the 2 previous successful years really..

If Farah wins double gold in London next year he might be the favourite but do think some don't like him either for the drug allegations or fact (sadly) he wasn't born here.

Team of the Year will be interesting but reckon they will go for the hockey girls as that was at the Olympics.

Although Mr Linker will make a strong case for Leicester.

Says it all when the England rugby team have won in a row including the Grand Slam/3-0 in Australia but won't have a chance!

So you was all set to vote for Mo until Murray went to World number one. Why dont you still vote for him. What Andy has achieved should not stop you voting for Mo if thats what you want to do. Are you not voting for him because you think your vote will be waste as you know that Andy will win

If people think like you then of course he will win. But if the people who were going to vote for Mo and dont change their mind and still vote for him. Then you just never know. Mo might just nick it

No. if you read my post I said, I am now voting for Andy because he has gotten to number 1 in the world. For my money he has achieved more than anyone this year. Had the vote being in September I'd have voted Mo but it isn't and since then Murray has strengthened his case so much, I've changed my mind.

Team of the year odds dont even have the England Rugby team on them which is a real shame. And actually the Rugby has been a fantastic success this year. To come off the back of embararassment at a home World Cup and then win a Grand Slam and go 11 games unbeaten (unbeaten in 2016 so far!) is a huge achievement. It is also a shame that Eddie Jones wont get anywhere near the coach of the year award, although on balance it should go to Claudio Ranieri. But it is a shame that the England Rugby achievements have been overlooked. It just shows how good GB sport has been this year.

Leicester are the 1/6 favourites for team of the year with Team GB Cycling next on 8/1 and then the Hockey team with 9/1

Yes he did, the interesting part will be who the second and third placed people will be, and who actually makes the final shortlist.

When you started talking about the England rugby team, I thought for a brief moment you were talking about how we didn't reach the final of the four nations!

It seems all of Englands international sides need Eddie Jones! He would be better than Southgate for football as well.

But what you're saying holds up for Mo too. He has been world number 1 for several years, but doesn't get recognised. Mo has won double gold medals at the last 4 global championships and certainly no other Brit has achieved that. The thing is Mo has been consistent, but there's always someone else who comes to the fore each year. In the last Olympic year Bradly Wiggins won it (in the past a double gold at the Olympics would almost have guaranteed the win) and people said "he'll get it next year if he wins at the Worlds", but he didn't, in fact I believe Murray won it. He just seems to be very unlucky in that he's in an era where there have been huge British successes. In past years, where there was no obvious winner he would have stood a better chance. He must surely be the most decorated British sportsman to not win SPOTY. Think back to all our gold medal winning athletes before, were they better than Mo and did they win SPOTY? Many of them did and they were not better. I can't help feeling there's an element of racism involved and the fact he wasn't born in the UK.

I am sure there is. I'm convinced some posters on here won't vote for Mo because he isn't a white Christian. Convinced of it and it's 100% wrong. Yet they probably don't object to Bradley Wiggins who also was born outside the U.K.

I am certainly not dissing Mo or his achievements. In fact I have voted for him twice in the past. But what Andy Murray has done is something we won't see again in our lifetime from a Brit. To do what he has done shows he's had a great year. Not a good week or month but year

And its why Chris Froome won't get anywhere near the top 3 either - because people don't see him as a Brit.

I think the thing with Froome is because he just seems incredibly boring. He seems like the bloke at a Christmas party who's most interesting conversation is to talk about how he has bled his radiators.

His achievements are amazing but he just doesnt have any public profile to go with it.

It's a lot more justifiable to see Froome as not really British then it is to see Farah that way. Mo came to Britain when he was what, eight years old? Long before anyone could have thought about him being a world class athlete. He came here to make a life in Britain not just to cycle for a British based team.

It will be interesting to see who will win lifetime achievement award. Will it be Steve Davis? Tanni Grey Thompson? Jonny Wilkinson? Clive Woodward? Nick Faldo? There doesnt seem to be a clear favourite for it.

The ones that don't win it this year can get it any time before they pop their clogs though can't they ?

What about Murray Walker

He may not be a sportsman. But he is one of the best commentators of all time and made Formula One a sport you wanted to watch

I'd say there is merit in having a non-athlete, but someone intrinsically involved in sport given the lifetime award.

The show is being hosted in Birmingham this year, and going on recent years, the winner of the lifetime achievement award is local.