The Premier League's prestigious Hall of Fame has dropped Ryan Giggs from its inaugural class, despite having initially invited him in 2020. Alongside Alan Shearer, Giggs was set to be a trailblazer, but the event was postponed due to the Covid pandemic and ultimately replaced by Thierry Henry as an inductee at a rescheduled ceremony in 2021.
In April 2021, Giggs faced allegations of coercive or controlling behaviour against his then-partner Kate Greville, and assault on her sister. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the charges in 2023 after his ex-partner stepped back from giving evidence at a retrial, concluding there was "no longer sufficient evidence" to pursue the case.
The collapse of the allegations has sparked growing calls for Giggs' inclusion among the Premier League's greatest players. The Manchester United legend holds numerous records, including most Premier League titles won by any player, 13. However, in December, he downplayed his chances saying "if it happens, great, if it doesn't, then I won't lose sleep over it."
The Premier League maintains that the Hall of Fame selection process is at its discretion and involves consultation with members of the Premier League awards panel. New players who meet the criteria become eligible upon retirement from professional football. The governing body declined to comment on Giggs specifically but acknowledged the ongoing discussions with his agents since 2020.
Giggs's exclusion has raised questions about the Hall of Fame's selection process, given that he was a subject of controversy at the time of being invited in 2020. The decision may have been influenced by the changing circumstances surrounding the allegations against him, or it could be seen as a demonstration of the Premier League's commitment to transparency and due diligence in its selections.
In April 2021, Giggs faced allegations of coercive or controlling behaviour against his then-partner Kate Greville, and assault on her sister. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the charges in 2023 after his ex-partner stepped back from giving evidence at a retrial, concluding there was "no longer sufficient evidence" to pursue the case.
The collapse of the allegations has sparked growing calls for Giggs' inclusion among the Premier League's greatest players. The Manchester United legend holds numerous records, including most Premier League titles won by any player, 13. However, in December, he downplayed his chances saying "if it happens, great, if it doesn't, then I won't lose sleep over it."
The Premier League maintains that the Hall of Fame selection process is at its discretion and involves consultation with members of the Premier League awards panel. New players who meet the criteria become eligible upon retirement from professional football. The governing body declined to comment on Giggs specifically but acknowledged the ongoing discussions with his agents since 2020.
Giggs's exclusion has raised questions about the Hall of Fame's selection process, given that he was a subject of controversy at the time of being invited in 2020. The decision may have been influenced by the changing circumstances surrounding the allegations against him, or it could be seen as a demonstration of the Premier League's commitment to transparency and due diligence in its selections.
... Like, I get why they'd want to wait till after the allegations went down, but now that they have, you'd think they'd be like "sure, throw him into the Hall of Fame and let's move on". But nope, they're still keeping him out. 
I mean, he's a legend and all, with 13 Premier League titles and whatnot, but at the end of the day, that stuff came out and now it's like... do you include someone who's got some baggage? 
The Premier League is trying to be all transparent and due-diligent, but I think this decision just highlights how complicated it can be. What's fair for one guy might not be fair for another. 
! I mean, I get that the allegations were serious, but 4 years on and Giggs is still out? It feels like the whole thing got swept under the rug 
. And now he's been left off the Hall of Fame too? That's just another slap in the face 
. I don't think it's fair to the victims of his abuse, or even his own fans who thought they had a spot reserved for him in football history 
. The Premier League needs to be more transparent about its process and not let personal dramas cloud their decisions 
.
... maybe it's just a good thing the rules changed, you know? But at the same time, I kinda wish they'd found a way to include him sooner... what would've been if Alan Shearer was out of the running all this time? 
It's just a lot to take in. I was actually looking forward to seeing him inducted into the Hall of Fame, but now it feels like they dodged a bullet 
. The thing is, 13 Premier League titles is still a huge achievement, and he's definitely one of the most decorated players in history. But at what cost? 
I don't know if we can just ignore the allegations and move on... it feels like there should be more transparency about why he wasn't included 
I think it's kinda weird that they dropped Ryan Giggs from the Hall of Fame initially but now he's being considered again. The thing is, even though the charges against him were dropped, there was still a lot of drama surrounding his past behavior 
. They're all like "oh well, he was just invited in 2020 and stuff" 
.
that's some crazy achievement! 
! It's like, he still holds so many records and all, but his personal life is just too messy for it #NotGonnaLie. I feel bad for Kate Greville, she deserved better 
.
. It's not like they had concrete evidence to prove it went down.
The CPS said there wasnt enough evidence to pursue the case which kinda says it all imo 
. And now people are talking about how the Premier League is being transparent... yeah right 
. Giggs broke some rules, I get it, but 13 Prem titles ain't nothing 
.
I'm kinda surprised they dropped Ryan Giggs from the Hall of Fame, considering all he achieved on the pitch 
?