Player of Year title for Albion hit-man
Stirling Albion striker Dale Carrick was celebrating once again this week after he scooped the League Two Player of the Year award.
The Binos hitman notched 19 league goals over the campaign as he led Albion to title glory.
The striker’s red-hot form in the final handful of fixtures saw him get the Binos over the line and he was named the Player of the Month for April and also shortlisted for the PFA League Two Player of the Year.
In a season full of highs, the Albion danger man was a stand-out, also chipping in with four assists, for a total contribution of 23 goals from 33 games.
He also netted four times in the League Cup, twice in the Scottish Cup and once in the Challenge Cup to bring his total goal tally for the campaign to 25.
The 29-year-old joined Albion last season after leaving Airdrieonians.
His most recent goal came in dramatic fashion, as he fired Albion to a 1-0 victory over Stenhousemuir last month, with a 93rd minute strike.
In further recognition for his outstanding season individually, Carrick was also named in the PFA Scotland League Two Team of the Year, announced last week. He was named alongside four other Forthbank heroes – goalkeeper Blair Currie, defenders Ross Mcgeachie and Paul Mclean and midfield playmaker Jack Leitch.
Carrick found the net just 11 times in all competitions in the 2021/22 season and speaking to the Observer last month, the humble hot-shot insisted his much improved return was a team effort to help him with the best goal tally of his career.
“The return this season has been the best I’ve had in my life, to be fair and it’s all credit to the boys that are around me and making sure that I’m in the right place and giving me the service to put the ball in the back of the net so great credit to them and happy to help out the team”, he said.
Binos boss Darren Young hailed his talisman’s contribution to the title winning effort last week, saying:“dale was good when I came in last season, but he played a lot wide on the left or on the right. This year we’ve had him more central and he has more than contributed to the team with the number of goals he’s scored so he deserves his nomination.”