By Chris Wright

Liverpool hitman Fernando Torres has retained The Liverpool Echo‘s Sports Personality of the Year award, becoming only the second person to do so following Kenny Daglish’s double win in 1979 and 1980 respectively.

Torres beat off competition including the likes of Everton duo Tim Howard and Louis Saha to take home the award for the second year running.

The Spaniard was bestowed with the honour after becoming the fastest Liverpool player in history to reach 50 league goals, taking only 72 games to do so – thus smashing the previous record that had stood for almost 60 years.

Torres told The Echo;

“I’m really, really proud. This award means a lot to me. It’s the second year I have won it and I have to say ‘thank you’ for giving me the opportunity.

To get to 50 goals was a very proud moment. Liverpool is a team with one of the most successful histories in the world. It is not the same to break records at other clubs.

The people have been kind here to me since the first day. I feel here like I do at home. I can go to any part of the city and receive kind words. I get on well with Evertonians, too. It’s strange for me, as in Madrid football is the most important thing in the city and Real Madrid fans were not the best with me.

It was a big surprise that I can talk with Everton fans about everything. They respect me and I respect them.”

So there you go, Fernando Torres: Award winner, bloody brilliant striker and thoroughly nice chap to boot!

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