Snooker legend Steve Davis reckons Ronnie O’Sullivan would be a huge contender to win tonight’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award – should he be nominated for the first time ever.

Davis says fans from across the country would vote for the popular five-times world champion should the judging panel put him on the shortlist for what is considered to be one of the most prestigious sports awards in the UK.

For the first time in the award’s history, the shortlist for the main award will be unveiled on the night of the ceremony itself and not in advance which has become tradition.

Once the shortlist is announced, the public then get to vote for their winner via telephone or online.

But O’Sullivan, who became snooker’s greatest Triple Crown winner last week after his UK Championship final victory over Mark Allen, has never been nominated in the award.

Ronnie O’Sullivan. Picture by Monique Limbos

In recent days a social media campaign aiming to encourage organisers to get Ronnie O’Sullivan on the shortlist has gathered pace. The hashtag #SpotyforRonnie has been made so people can join in.

O’Sullivan has joined in the fun himself fronting a short and rather cheeky video clip for Eurosport calling on the public to get behind him.

And Davis, who won BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1988, said his name in the shortlist would “put the cat among the pigeons” among voters.

“I would personally love to see Ronnie O’Sullivan nominated as one of the spots for Sports Personality of the Year,” he said.

“I think it would put the cat among the pigeons with the British voters, and he would be astonished by how many people would vote for him.”

The awards ceremony will be shown live on BBC One from 7pm tonight (Sunday, December 16).

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