Stars reveal their sporting pick of 2009

Bristol's sporting stars, managers and chairmen tell the Post what sport they are looking forward to in 2009:

Jon Lewis - Gloucestershire CCC and England fast bowler

"The Ashes will overshadow everything else in the world of cricket in 2009 and I'd love to see a series win for England.

"Australia are experiencing a few problems right now and I think we have what it takes to regain the Ashes, especially if our key bowlers stay fit and find their best form.

"I'm also looking forward to what promises to be the most exciting Premier League title race in many years, with three teams in with a realistic chance of winning it."

Paul Trollope - Bristol Rovers coach

"We want to get into the top half of the table as quickly as we can.

"We feel we can carry on scoring goals but we need a bit more defensive resilience so we need to tighten up at the other end. If we do that, we feel we can progress up the table fairly quickly while playing the sort of football the fans want to see."

Glenn Catley – former world super middleweight boxing champion

"Quite simply, the biggest sporting event of 2009 has to be the Ricky Hatton versus Manny Pacquiao super-fight in Las Vegas in May.

"This is a match made in heaven and should be the biggest fight anywhere in the world next year.

"If Ricky can beat the man who is now regarded as the world's best pound for pound fighter, it will be a career-defining achievement.

"This is one fight I really want to see in the flesh."

Steve Lansdown – Bristol City chairman

"As a cricket fan, I'm really looking forward to next summer's Ashes series – and an England win, of course. Test matches between England and Australia are always special and this series will be no different. I'll be a very proud Englishman if we regain the famous old urn.

"The Cheltenham Festival is another stand-out event and I'll be interested to see whether Kauto Star can rediscover former glories and prove the critics wrong.

"On the football front, I'd love to see Bristol City challenge for the play-offs during the second half of the Championship season and for the club to continue it's progress both on and off the field.

"Looking further afield, I would also like to see England qualify well for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. That would be good for the game in this country at every level."

Pete Trego – Somerset CCC all-rounder

"I'll be closely watching the darts, which is a Trego family tradition, on New Year's Day. My dad was county champion in the late eighties and all the family used to play a lot.

"I'm a Manchester United man and I have already booked my tickets for Milan in February for the Champions League against Inter Milan.

"The Premiership will also be good because it looks like it is going to be a three-horse race.

"And of course I will keep an eye on the Ashes when it starts. I have been watching the Australians pull themselves back to human level in the last year. They had about 10 years when they had the best player in just about every position but that's not the case now. I think they can be beaten."

Nick Higgs - Bristol Rovers chairman

"2008 has been a year of mixed emotions for everyone associated with Bristol Rovers.

"Although we have seen progress on the pitch, we are still not turning our good performances into victories. We have a committed management team and great squad of players who I believe are capable of challenging at a higher level.

"There is a wonderful spirit at the club and I have every faith that we will be at the right end of the table come the end of the campaign."

Mark Regan - Bristol Rugby hooker

"The thing I am most looking forward to in 2009 is keeping Bristol Rugby in the Guinness Premiership - and I am totally confident we can achieve that.

"Away from Bristol, I am excited about the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa - 12 years after I was involved in a winning tour down there.

"I will be heading back down to South Africa, this time as a tour guide."