Blyth Spartans would like to urge all of their supporters to vote for Daniel Maguire – after he was named on the shortlist for the 2017 Evo-Stik NPL Show Supporters’ Player of the Year award.
‘Nipa’ will face stiff competition from Dale Hopson (Whitby Town), Anthony Malbon (Kidsgrove Athletic), Elliott Rokka (Radcliffe Borough) and James Walshaw (Farsley Celtic) – after the quintet were unveiled as this season’s five-star choice for the coveted accolade.
Spartans fans can vote for Maguire here, with voting closing this Sunday night, March 12. Voting got underway at 7pm on Thursday March 2, when the shortlist was announced on social media – along with a special podcast of the Evo-Stik NPL Show, ahead of April’s 2016/17 Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Players of the Year Awards.
Like those chosen by the Evo-Stik NPL’s managers, they’ll be honoured on stage by Welsh footballing legend Dean Saunders. He is due to hand out the accolades in front of more than 300 guests at the four-star Brooklands Holiday Inn near Barnsley on Sunday April 9.
For the first time ever, the ceremony – already an event unique in English football – will also be broadcast live on the Evo-Stik NPL’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
With less six weeks to go to the sixth running of the awards, the online poll for managers kicked off 24 hours earlier and both will close on Sunday March 12. As in previous seasons, the league’s managers are now voting for three Evo-Stik NPL Teams of the Year, a Player of the Year and a Young Player of Year in each division.
Along with the announcement, the committee also published a list of players who just missed out on making the final. They are: Gavin Allott at Shaw Lane AFC, Luke Benbow at Stourbridge, Bradley Bauress at Witton Albion, Aaron Burns at Trafford FC, Jordan Connerton at Lancaster City, Dan Crane at Hednesford Town, Marcus Dinanga at Matlock Town, Liam Dolman at AFC Rushden and Diamonds, Eric Graves at Belper Town and Blyth Spartans’ own Robert Dale.
Unique in the top levels of Non-League football – with the focus on the players and the winners chosen by the Evo-Stik NPL’s managers and fans – the now annual awards are the brainchild of former Manchester City keeper and Evo-Stik NPL stalwart Alan Ogley.
Evo-Stik NPL Show regular James Heyes and host Ben Hughes revealed they were looking forward to helping Saunders present the supporters’ award – after the special podcast unveiling the players was uploaded for download on Thursday night.
Before the poll opened, Hayes told the Evo-Stik League’s official website: “I believe this season’s choices are a true reflection of the league as a whole. It’s up to the fans now, so it is going to go right to the wire and there is no way to predict the winner.”
To listen to the finalists podcast, visit http://audioboom.com/posts/5666305-evo-stik-npl-show-supporters-player-of-the-season-2016-17.