The Scotsman’s Mike Aitken has once again been shortlisted for the regional writer’s prize at the annual Sports Journalists’ Association 60th anniversary awards.

Mike took last year’s prize while Jon Colman from Cumbrian Newspapers, who was highly commended last year, is also shortlisted.

Joining the duo at this year’s ceremony are the Hull Daily Mail’s Philip Buckingham, Newcastle journalists Neil Farrington from the Sunday Sun and John Gibson of the Evening Chronicle and Amanda Little, also of Cumbrian Newspapers.

Dan Matthams, from the Nottingham Evening Post, has been shortlisted in the young sports photographer category while Martyn Ziegler, of the Press Association, is nominated in the sports diarist category.

The rest of the shortlist is made up of columnists, freelancers and staffers from the national press.

Retired sports stars turned journalists feature heavily with former cricketer Mike Atherton and former table tennis star Matthew Syed, both of The Times, and former cyclist Paul Kimmage of the Sunday Times all up for a prize.

The awards ceremony takes place on 9 March at The Brewery, in London.