02.03.2005 - Carra claims Mersey sports award

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Reds defender Jamie Carragher has won this year's Merseyside Sports Personality of the Year award, beating off competition from his club captain among other loacl sports stars.

Carragher was among a final shortlist of six people in contention for the award, which also included Steve Gerrard, as well as Everton keeper Nigel Martyn.

Carragher said: "I'm genuinely surprised, but delighted I've won, I saw the names of the top six candidates in the [Liverpool] ECHO and I have to admit I didn't think I was going to win it."

"Stevie has had a great year, and Nigel Martyn has been outstanding for Everton, And I know one of the candidates won an Olympic medal, so to have been voted the winner out of so many great sportsmen is a big honour for me."

Steven Gerrard and Micheal Owen have both claimed the award in recent years, and Ian Callaghan, Kenny Dalglish and John Aldridge are among previous winners.