Greatest Janner nomination seemingly tongue-in-cheek

MAY I, through Your Say, comment on the recent Janner competition.

As a nominee I must declare an interest.

I suspect little thought was given by those nominating on the reason for finding a person such in stature and history that he or she if winning would receive readers' acclaim.

Janner is a British regional name and is associated with people from Plymouth and its close links with Naval circles. Some historians consider anyone born in Devon to qualify.

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It would be interesting to know how many of the long list of candidates are actually Plymothians.

To me, this should have been the first condition for putting a person forward. We have the ridiculous position of having a candidate from Lithuania who is not a British subject. Many others have no connection with Plymouth whatsoever.

There are some who passed through Plymouth and perhaps stopped a few days. Does this qualify them as true Janners? If so when I visit London am I entitled to be a Cockney. When I visit Liverpool a Scouser? Or Newcastle a Geordie? I think not.

Whoever nominated me did so with tongue in cheek.

No way am I in the same bracket as Scott of the Antarctic or Captain Chard of Rourkes Drift, they were true Plymothians.

Francis Drake, another great Devonian, was born in Tavistock. His close association with Plymouth and bringing water into the city across the moor entitles him to be called a Janner.

It was inevitable that Tom Daley would come out on top. This very pleasant young man who is such a good role model to his generation is of course very popular through his achievements at a very young age.

He is however not the greatest Janner ever (your words not mine). Nor will he ever be.

I believe greatness is achieved by great deeds that stand the test of time and go down in history.

Tom sums it up beautifully in saying this in so many words.

I understood the total vote was just over 4,000, his vote was 36 percent or roughly 1,450 votes.

We're told the readership of The Herald is 89,000 of which 4000 voted.

This equates to 4.494% of readership voters. This clearly demonstrates the apathy of your readers.

Having said that I admit it was a bit of fun. But don't hail the result of the vote as if the messiah had come.

How many trees have suffered by the space you have committed over the weeks. Did it sell more newspapers? I think not.

LARRY SPEARE

via email