RICAY TOP THE BILL AT AWARDS...
League winners honoured
THE Bostik League celebrated another fine season at Step 3 and 4 last weekend with their awards evening held at Wembley’s Hilton Hotel.
In total, 40 awards were dished out to clubs, managers, players and supporters across the Premier, North and South divisions.
In the Bostik Premier, Billericay Town were promoted as champions to the National League South and boss Harry Wheeler picked up the Manager of the Year award for also winning the Velocity Trophy.
Billericay’s fine season was recognised with the Team Performance Award. Ricay were promoted with Dulwich Hamlet, who went up on penalties in the play-off final. Elliott Buchanan of Staines Town won the Golden Boot scoring an incredible 39 goals.
In the North, AFC Hornchurch led the pack from start to finish and clinched the title by amassing 103 points. Jim McFarlane, the man who masterminded their flawless season, won Manager of the Year.
Potters Bar Town were promoted with them as they finished runners-up while Haringey Borough went up to Step 3 via the play-offs. Heybridge Swifts’ Matthew Price scored 36 goals to clinch the Golden Boot. The Team Performance Award went to Romford.
Carshalton Athletic pipped Lewes to the South title and Walton Casuals won a dramatic play-off final on penalties. Casuals picked up the Team Performance award.
Carshalton boss Peter Adeniyi was awarded Manager of the Year and Jack Barnham, of Greenwich Borough, landed the Golden Boot for his 36 goals.
The prestigious Community Cub of the Year award was won by Tonbridge Angels in the Premier with Witham Town and Cray Wanderers cleaning up in the North and South.
Reward
Tonbridge also won the popular Programme award with Canvey Island recognised for their efforts in the North and Corinthian-Casuals in the South. The Fair Play awards were won by Needham Market, AFC Sudbury, and Chipstead in the Premier, North and South while Herne Bay’s Ken Dixon won Supporter of the Year. There were also a number of Youth and Development League awards dished out.
Bostik League chairman Nick Robinson told The NLP: “We obviously had quite a trying season weather-wise. Everybody worked together and we got through to the end of it.
“We had Heybridge going to the later rounds of the FA Cup and Trophy. We had a number of significant events – Dulwich having 3,321 people at the play-off final was outstanding.
“We will have 82 clubs next season due to the restructuring which will bring its own challenges but we look forward to it.”