Wirral is a peninsula packed with talented people - including many well known athletes and sports stars who have made their mark.
From those born in Wirral, brought up in the borough or those with special ties to towns across the peninsula, there are many who have gone on to have legendary careers, reaching the tops of their fields on Merseyside and beyond.
From gold medal winning athletes to trailblazing sports stars of their day, many celebrated athletes hail from the borough.
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We've selected some of Wirral's well known sports stars, and some you may not have even heard of but who made their mark on their profession.
The list isn't intended to be comprehensive, and if there is someone you feel we should have included, please let us known in the comments section.
Lottie Dod
Lottie Dod was Wimbledon legend from Bebington.
She became the youngest ever winner of the Wimbledon Ladies Single Championship, a triumph she achieved in 1887 at the age of just 15 years and 285 days.
She was a five times winner of the singles title between 1887 and 1893.
Martina Hingis was three days younger when she became women’s doubles champion alongside Helena Sukova in 1996.
Dod was not just talented at tennis, however, become English women's golf champion in 1904 aged 21 and going on to win a silver medal in archery for the Olympics in 19068, as well as playing for the England hockey team twice.
Not only was she a champion at multiple sports, she was also a skilled and world class ice skater and mountaineer.
Chris Boardman
Cycling champion Chris, from Hoylake, famously won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics – Team GB’s first cycling gold medal in 72 years.
In the run up to the Beijing Olympics, Chris also led the research and development team for GB Cycling, and has well established a career in journalism as well as working as a commentator.
He is the co-founder of Boardman Bikes and now acts as British Cycling’s policy advisor, speaking out on issues relating to transport policy and cycle safety.
Nigel Adkins
The Charlton Athletic manager grew up in Birkenhead and says the only thing he ever wanted to do was play sport.
He enjoyed playing basketball, rugby, football, cricket and athletics but says he was “mad keen” on football and played as a goalkeeper.
The former Tranmere and Wigan player twice guided Scunthorpe to promotion from League One and steered Southampton to the Premier League in 2012, but was sacked in January 2013. Spells at Reading and Sheffield United also ended in disappointment. He was also previously manager for Hull City.
Steve Cummings
Commonwealth, Olympic and World Championship medals winner Steve hails from Clatterbridge.
He formerly raced for Birkenhead North End Cycling Club, and has won stages of the Tour De France.
He was a member of Team GB’s men’s road race team at the Rio Olympics, who were unfortunate not to win a medal after an incredible 241.5km endurance test.
The heroics of fellow Wirral rider Chris Boardman, who followed up Olympic gold on the track in 1992 by winning the prologue of the Tour de France two years later, also inspired Cummings.
He told the ECHO in 2011: “My dream as a kid was always to go to the Tour but growing up I never really believed it would happen.”
Austin Healey
The former England rugby player went to primary school in Bidston before attending St Anselm’s College then Leeds Polytechnic, where he gained a degree in physical education.
He says his secondary school days and sports teacher Joe Green helped launch his rugby career and he went on to play for Leicester Tigers, win 51 England caps and tour with the British Lions.
He has also been a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.
Mike Dean
Depending on which team you support, he might be more infamous than famous, but he is a name many fans will recognise.
The former poultry factory worker from Wirral entered the history books in 2001 as one of the first professional referees in the sport.
At the time Dean, who supports Tranmere Rovers, vowed it wouldn’t will not change his approach to being the man in the middle, telling the ECHO: “Although I am now being paid to referee, I would like to think that the only difference would be that I will be closer to the major incidents because I will be fitter.”
Jonathan Walters
37-year-old Jonathan Walters, a former professional footballer who played as a striker played for Blackburne Rovers, Bolton Wonders, Hull City and Crew Alexandra in his early career.
Going on to play for Wrexham and Chester City, the Moreton man moved to Ipswich Town before signing for Stoke City for £2.75 million in August 2010, where he helped his side reach the 2011 FA Cup Final.
He also played for the Republic of Ireland, scoring five times during their successful qualifying match for the Euro 2016, later named as FAI Senior International Player of the Year.
Ray Stubbs
The Wirral-born sports presenter is a former professional footballer who spent five years playing for Tranmere Rovers before becoming a journalist with BBC Radio Merseyside.
He has joked that he was the “worst left-back to play for Tranmere”, and failed to make a first-team appearance after graduating through the youth ranks at Prenton Park during the mid-1970s.
He once told the ECHO he was still passionate about the club, adding: “I say to my kids you must always try to do your best and I did do my best in my playing days at Tranmere.
"It was just unfortunate that I had no talent.
“I remember Johnny King saying to me once: ‘You might make a reasonable player it wasn’t for the parachute strapped to your backside’. He was a good judge.”
Freya Anderson
Upton-born Freya Anderson won big at the recent Tokyo Olympics, taking home a gold medal to add to her growing collection, having previously won five golds at the Commonwealth Games.
Her mum, Helen spoke to the Liverpool ECHO earlier this month about her pride at her daughter's achievement, crediting her hard work and dedication as well as the support Freya received from Wirral grassroots swimming.
Dixie Dean
Birkenhead footballer William Ralph “Dixie” Dean played for Tranmere Rovers before moving to Everton, setting an all-time goal scoring record of 60 goals in the 1927-28 season which has never been equalled.
Born in Laird Street, Birkenhead he signed for Tranmere Rovers at the age of 15 in 1923 whilst playing for Pensby Institution FC, making the switch to the Blues in 1926.
He became renowned as a goal scoring genius: a centre forward who could score with either boot but was especially famous for his skill in the air.
One of the few strikers never to be cautioned in his career, Dean was also regarded as a true gentleman of football.
Samantha Quek
Hockey player Sam helped Great Britain’s women’s team end a 36-year wait to reach the gold medal match of an Olympic Games when they defeated semi-finalists New Zealand 3-0 in Rio.
A dramatic final saw the teams draw level before the drama of penalties. Great Britain won 2-0 - earning a triumph that will live long in the memory and becoming national heroes.
The former Birkenhead High School pupil later dedicated her Olympic gold medal to her 95-year-old grandmother, who suffered a stroke five days before the final.
Alan Rouse
The mountaineer, who went to Birkenhead School, became the first British mountaineer to summit K2, the world’s second highest peak, before being killed on the mountain days later in 1986.
Born in Wallasey, he climbed in local beauty spot the Breck as a teenager and a plaque is being erected at the former sandstone quarry in his memory.
Matt Dawson
The former Wasps and Northampton rugby scrum half was born in Oxton, and his dad Ronnie played for Old Rockferrians
His family later moved from Merseyside to Wycombe and he attended the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe.
Despite excelling at rugby, his football team of choice remains Everton. He told the ECHO: “My family are a typical Mersey mix of reds and blues, and my dad is Tranmere Rovers but it’s always been the Toffees for me.”
Since retiring he has starred on the BBC’s A Question of Sport.
Natasha Jonas
She’s a famous Scouser and Toxteth-born, but Natasha went to Weatherhead High School in Wallasey and, away from the sport where she made her name, was a talented footballer with the school team.
She played for Liverpool Ladies and represented England at under-18 level before heading to the USA on a football scholarship. It wasn’t until a knee ligament injury left her in a leg brace and ended her footballing hopes that she returned to boxing.
The former Team GB star, who represented her country at the 2012 Olympics in London, turned professional earlier this year.
Jodie Taylor
England goalscoring hero Jodie first showcased her incredible talents at home in Wirral.
She grew up in Wallasey and started playing football at break times and lunchtimes in her days at Liscard Primary School – where she was allowed on the boys time because the school did not have a team for girls.
After moving to Oldershaw Academy, Taylor joined the school’s first ever girls’ team along with her twin sister Chelsea, where she smashed 15 consecutive hat-tricks and went on to sign for Tranmere Rovers after impressing in a schools’ tournament.
She stayed with Tranmere until leaving for America and a sports scholarship at Oregon State University at 18 – where she achieved two degrees in psychology and sociology.
Ian Botham
Heswall -born Sir Ian received a knighthood in the Queen’s birthday honours in recognition of his charity work as much as services to cricket.
“Beefy” has raised around £10mn for leukaemia research and the Teenage Cancer Trust through 11 long-distance sponsored walks, and on the field was regarded as English cricket’s greatest all-rounder.
Paul Bracewell
Born in 1962, the Wirral-born footballer played as a midfield for Stoke City, Sunderland, Everton, New Castle and United.
He also played for England's national team and went on to be manager of Fulham and Halifax Town.
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