Emotional farewells at Awards Evening
Scott Wagstaff takes double award
After an emotional single goal victory against Cheshunt in which supporters bade farewell to captain Sonny Miles with a standing ovation on his 85th minute substitution, the Presentation Evening was similarly a mixture of emotions as the club celebrated their best-ever National League South season but also saw the end of the tenure of our popular chairman, Dave Netherstreet.
The chairman recounted his time as chairman that has seen many ups and downs. Dave has steered the club through Covid and waterlogged pitches but also presided over our promotion into the National League on that memorable day in 2019 at Metropolitan Police.
His successor as chair, Sophie Purves, also paid tribute to the way in which Dave has steered the club through turbulent waters, sometimes staving off financial difficulties out of his own pocket and the implementation of the 3G pitch. But, most of all, Sophie related to her chairman as “the nicest of human beings”. On her own acceptance of the chair, Sophie maintained that every decision “would be made in the best interests of the club” and brought laughter to a packed marquee that at 5’4” in heels, the club would still have the smallest chairman in the league!
The evening was opened with the awards for the Under-18’s in which manager Dominic Welsh described their season as progression in the league with several players making appearances at senior clubs in the area. The Parents' Player of the Year was Will Puffette with goalkeeper Matt Larkin as runner-up whilst Puffette also picked up the Manager’s Player of the Year with Felix Waring runner-up. The Player’s award went to Sam Firman with Will Puffette runner-up.
Next up came the Academy awards presented by manager Tommy Parkinson who highlighted the number of players that had made their way into first team action whilst winning the league for the third successive season. The Player’s Player of the Season award went to Joe Tyrie with the Manager’s award going to Leo Vowles. Squad Two Player of the Year was Zak Clarke with the Player's Player Jamie Bidston. Mitchell Thompson won the Manager's Award for the Development Squad Three with the Player's Player going to Ellis Brown.
And so to the Senior awards presented by manager Jay Saunders, who referred to his first season at the club as “the most enjoyable he has had in football”. On the pitch, after the game, Scott Wagstaff had received the Supporters' Player of the Year Award with Jonny Henly named as runner-up. Scott was recalled to the stage to also receive the Player’s Player of the Year. The management player of the year was awarded to Lewis Gard. Leading Goalscorer was Jordan Greenidge and the Goal of the Season award went to Sonny Miles for his screamer on the opening day of the season at Weymouth.
The final act of the presentation fell to the departing skipper, the legend that is Sonny Miles who leaves the club with a record 527 appearances to his name. Sonny referred to his time at the club as “a great ride, I like to think that I’ve given my all, the ability hasn’t always been there but the effort always has”. He wished for everybody at a great football club, moving in the right direction, that next year in a tough league they make the play-offs, we didn’t quite make it this year, we tried our best.”