Phillip Hickey Prize for the best sports story that also made it as hard news
Alan Oliver, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle

CITATION
The passions aroused by Newcastle United are often enough to see stories off the back page and on to Page One – never more so than when managers resign and replacements are appointed.

At times like these, you need your reporters on the inside track. When the manager quits on a Saturday with no official word from the club and final deadlines looming, there comes a time when an editor has to place their faith in what his or her reporter tells them.

Expressing that faith is a good deal easier when the reporter has the kind of contacts this winner clearly has. He heard Ruud Gullit had quit first – and his newspaper published the news ahead of the press conference confirming the fact.

He followed this up five days later with confirmation of Bobby Robson’s appointment the night before it was officially announced.

All of which means there can be no other winner this year.

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