The evening saw a number of players pick up the various awards, here’s an overview:
Director’s Player of Year
The Club’s Directors singled out defender Joe Cook for an impressive first season at Woodside. A consistent performer, he became a mainstay in the back three, appearing 47 times in total, scoring three times.
Chairman Barry Hunter was on hand to present Cook with the award.
Young Player of the Year
Another newcomer to the Club picked up the Young Player of the Year award. Temi Babalola was brought in from Billericay Town at the end of August, making an impact straight away with the opening goal in the 2-1 win away at Boreham Wood in just his second appearance.
He started the last 13 games of the season, as well as the play-off defeat to Maidstone United as his physical approach and work rate saw him become the focal point of the team’s attack in the latter stage of the season.
He ended the campaign with 11 goal in all competitions.
Manager’s Player of the Year
Manager Chris Agutter couldn’t settle on one choice for his standout player of the season, eventually deciding he couldn’t split defenders Joel Colbran and Sam Beard.
Skipper Colbran was a consistent performer once again in a season that saw him pass 300 appearances for the club. He settled into the right-wing-back role in Agutter’s system, combining strong defensive displays with an attacking threat, scoring 8 times in all competitions.
On the other side of defence, Beard was another who enjoyed an impressive first season with the club having joined from Dorking Wanderers in the summer.
He started the season at wing-back but a move to left sided centre back following the return to fitness of Nicky Wheeler in October saw his season go from strength to strength, helping the team to a run of six league wins in a row.
His absence through suspension for the play-off eliminator was .
Players’ Player of the Year
Colbran remained standing the present the award voted for by the players, which went to Jack Spong. Remarkably, the midfielder didn’t miss a single game throughout the entire season, starting all but one of the club’s 46 National League South fixtures.
He started the season in fine goalscoring form, finding the net four times in the opening three league matches – three from direct free-kicks, including two that helped inspire the incredible comeback from 3-0 down at Weston-super-mare on the opening day.
He finished the season with 11 goals in total in all competitions.
Supporter’s Player of the Year
A firm fans’ favourite, Nicky Wheeler walked away with the Supporter’s award. Wheeler was a constant threat down the left for the Reds and provided some magic moments throughout the season, including goal of the season contenders against St Albans City and his former club, Dorking Wanderers. A dramatic late goal at Chelmsford City earned a vital win at the time.
The poll received over 500 votes from supporters with Wheeler gaining 39% of the total.
Goal of the Season
Supporters were spoilt for choice when it came to the contenders for the club’s Goal of the Season. Mo Faal might feel particularly hard done by not to walk away with the award having posted three strong contenders with his outrageous strikes against Torquay United, Chippenham Town and Enfield Town on the final day, which in fact came too late to be considered.
There were also impressive team goals, with Tommy Willard’s at St Albans City and Danny Cashman’s against Hampton & Richmond both coming at the end of flowing sequences of passes going from back to front.
Perhaps surprisingly Cashman’s goal in the win at Boreham Wood didn’t receive the majority of votes, despite the footage going viral at the time.
The with 30% of the votes it was Wheeler’s long range strike at Dorking Wanderers that earned the winger his second award of the evening.
Wheeler picked the ball up with his back to goal just inside the Wanderer’s half, turned inside his man, strode forward before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the far corner.
