Jerusalem

Two years ago I wrote this piece in a blog it was the day before Andy Murray played Rafa in the Wimbledon Semi Final

Now I will admit that when I first saw Andy Murray I was not his biggest fan. Why? well he wasn't Timbo was he? However as I have watched him grow he has shown his true nature a steely determination and a strength of character that few people have. The challenge is he is up against a mammoth of a task today when he takes on Rafa, the man every father would like their daughter to marry. But in reality the truth is that both these two young men are good decent people who have triumphed to reach the top of their chosen profession. If Andy wins today the whole nation will get a boost, if Rafa wins today then people will not jeer nor curse because we love him too. Today tennis will win, and that is what sport is about, for tomorrow Andy and Rafa will play play station together again for they are friends that have rivalry in a thing that they love. Yet they know at the end of the day it is just a game.

And two years on after winning first the Olympic Gold and then the US Open Andy Murray stands at the top of his game and on top of the world as the Wimbledon Champion.

Much has been said about the influence of losing to Roger Federer in last years final, much has been said about hiring Ivan Lendl as his coach but I think he just decided that he had had enough and this was his time.

I was fortunate enough to take my son to the final weekend of the Olympic Games in London. Wow that was fantastic. He saw and hopefully was inspired by the British Gold, Silver and Bronze he saw, first at Eton Dorney followed by the final Sunday in Greenwich Park. Yet this last year has been totally inspiring with sport.

Started by Le Wiggo in La Tour followed by a young Scotsman getting to a Wimbledon final the Olympic Games were yet to come.

Our cyclists, athletes, gymnasts, boxers, rowers, canoeists, equestrians, swimmers, divers, shooters, sailors and of course tennis players in the Olympics gave a wonderful warm feeling to the soul of any sports fan then our Paralympians went and did it all over again in the Paralympics.

Then step forward a young Scotsman to temporarily banish the pain of that last Grand Slam Final by winning in the cauldron of New York to make history.

If this wasn't enough England went off to India and beat the Indians in their own back yard at cricket how great was that? Even if they did take the gloss off things by blowing the Champions Trophy final.

And now two years on from my lead article here and one year on from that last Wimbledon final, step forward the young Scottish lad, with a fire in the belly as strong as any wee dram and a strength in his heart like greater than any lion, to make dreams come true.

But before he could do that there was one final twist as down under in the green and gold's back yard men in red were demolishing the Aussies to give us a first Lions series win in 16 years. A side flourishing with Welsh grit and Irish flair The limelight had gone for a brief second from the Scots, but nothing would dim the fires.

And so a new champion stands tall today as a moment arrived that many of us sports fans had wished for so very often..... A Wimbledon winner from these green and pleasant lands. Stand tall Andy Murray you deserve it. As I watched the look in my young son's eyes as he watched the match I could see the passion starting to rise. You have inspired him, as has every sportsman and woman who has triumphed this year.

Now as I settle down for the next big moment that will start tomorrow morning at Trent Bridge I hope that what I saw in my son's eyes was every bit as strong as the passion I have had for sport and that it will drive him on. And if not then there is always Chris Froome and his quest for yellow in Paris. Will the South African English, the Zimbabwean English and the English English get in on this Great British Act?

And then of course there is a little matter of a World Cup next year.


Sport teaches us so many great and noble things. The inspiration of the competitiveness is so wonderful to watch, the rivalries so keen and strong. But as a young boy grows into a young man and a girl into a woman remember this.

It's always about fun and not about those dark satanic mills!

Enjoy your lives, live long and heartily and remember let Jerusalem ring out for the future generations.