Sportsmail photographers' best pictures of the year: From Leicester's unprecedented success to Andy Murray's Wimbledon win, our top images of 2016 

An unusual choice for a sports picture, I took a set of pictures of former Leyton Orient manager John Sitton who is now a taxi driver. After shots of him in his cab, he was smoking a cigar, and I chanced my arm and asked 'can I take a picture of you like this?' I put a light behind him to show the smoke and here is the result

Boxing always has an entrance walk and Kell Brook came out to All of the Lights by Kanye West in his home city of Sheffield, getting his loyal fans and him very pumped up. Here Kell is engaging with the fans before he went in the ring

On the final game of the 2015/16 season my colleague Graham Chadwick and I covered Leicester lifting the Premier League trophy. Graham, as a life-long Leicester fan, was always going to be centre to cover the main trophy picture while I was to run around and take the atmosphere-type shots. I stood on a chair using a wide angle to show everything around the main picture

At West Ham's farewell to their famous Boleyn Ground, captain Mark Noble was emotional as he walked round the pitch, here with red eyes he waves to the Bobby Moore stand as the fans chant his name

Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic at the final of the ATP finals to end the year world number one. I have nothing really to say about this as it explains itself, exactly what is meant from a sports picture

Team GB women’s hockey team wins gold in Rio. This picture captures the second they realise they have beaten the Dutch team in a tense penalty shoot out. All the team are running towards goalkeeper Maddie Hinch to celebrate with her. It’s unusual to get so many of the team in a group celebration like this and the joy really shows on their faces. Its an iconic moment of the Rio games and an iconic picture as GB women’s hockey wins gold for the first time ever

Andy Murray becomes the first British tennis player to win Wimbledon more than once since Fred Perry. This is a shot of his epic celebration and for once he was looking towards the photographers on match point! I love his determination and hopefully this shot shows what winning Wimbledon means to him

Exhausted Alistair and Jonny Brownlee fall to the ground on the finish line and celebrate winning Olympic gold and silver in the men’s triathlon. These two have been inseparable all year and seem to share every moment together, hopefully this picture shows that brotherly bond they have. The start of the triathlon was on Copacabana beach and has to be the best backdrop to any sporting event I have covered

Jamie Vardy vents his anger at the referee Jon Moss as he's sent off in the Leicester vs West Ham game last season. This picture really shows the raw emotion of pushing your side towards winning their first ever Premier League title

Mo Farah jumps for joy after winning the 5000m Olympic gold on yet another epic night in the athletics stadium. This is the first time I have seen Mo jump like this and thank goodness I caught it as he nearly jumped out of my frame

Jamie Vardy’s wonder goal against Liverpool. Being inside the King Power stadium and seeing the build up to the goal from ground level made it all the more special. Five seconds and two touches is all it took from deep in Leicester’s own half. Riyad Mahrez released the ball into Vardy's territory to set him up for an exquisitely timed half volley that looped over the keeper and into the goal. The best goal I have ever been pitch-side for

As a Leicester lad there has only been one sporting story for me in 2016. That is the odds-defying title-winning underdogs that are Leicester City. From now on I never have to feel inferior when in a conversion about football or my home town. The Foxes have well and truly put Leicester on the map forever. Pictured - the whole team celebrating becoming the Premier League champions. This is a moment I will never forget

The title had been secured, this was the last game of the season against Everton. Still though, Jamie Vardy likes to rub it in to the opposition. Vardy had just beaten the Everton keeper Joel Robles from the penalty spot and was letting him know who was top dog

This image heralds Claudio Ranieri as he is crowned by his players. It encapsulates Leicester City’s success and celebrates the team's respect and camaraderie for their manager. By being in the right place at the right time I was able to capture an image that freezes a momentous journey of success and achievement, one that concludes a formidable story that will be written about for decades

This is the moment that Jamie Vardy celebrates his goal that sealed his place in the history books. He made it 1-0 against Manchester United, breaking the premier league record of scoring in 11 consecutive games previously held by Ruud van Nistelrooy, of the same club

Middlesbrough get promoted:  I knew there would be a pitch invasion at the end of the game if they won so wanted a high vantage point for the final whistle. As some of the players were lifted by fans I could get the shot I wanted

Pep Guadiola photo call - there were about 15 photographers to do the shoot on the bridge with the stadium in the background. I knew exactly what I wanted so left the approach picture of Pep walking to the photo call. There was a moment when Pep buttoned his jacket and I got the picture

Joe Root- Portrait of the England star at a media event. I was using modelling lights shot at f1.8 for shallow depth of field

Ben Woodburn - Liverpool's young striker came on as a sub and scored against Leeds to become the club's youngest scorer

Willian - the Chelsea star celebrates scoring  by holding a tribute to the victims of the plane crash which killed players from Brazilian club Chapecoense