Veteran of 627 first team games Mark Vincent received the one honour that had eluded him at Wellesley Road - the Supporters nomination as Player of the Year. The former club captain was overcome with emotion after being presented with the award by Paul Preston, owner and managing director of sponsors Norfolk Frames. At one time it was feared supporters may have seen the last of Vincent as after the Norfolk Senior Cup Final he had an op on a foot and said he had played his last game. The award may help to change his mind.
Manager Paul Tong chose as his First Team Player of the Season Micky Shade who returned to Wellesley Road last summer. "Shadey" hardly ever put a foot wrong on the field and thoroughly earned his nickname "The Rock", a soubriquet that was also honoured when Mr Tong presented him with a piece of limestone of a plinth!
Leading scorer Robert George received the players ultimate accolade by being chosen by his team mates as Player of the Year.
Former player, and now Reserves linesman, Peter Harrison received the Clubman of the Year award from John Baldry.
A special award was organised by Grant Pierpoint and Micky Shade who throughout the season have been assessing their colleagues and awarding points for Man of the Match. They declared that a "Dance-off" was required and collected all the players on the dance floor for an elimination contest! However, despite not being the most expert terpsichorean on show, the so-called "Renault Master" award went to Kevin Howes.
These and the other award winners are pictured below.
During the evening at the Hazelhurst Hotel, opposite the ground, a hilarious game of Play Your Cards Right was organised by Mr Tong, with help (?) from Nathan Drake, Lee Brown and Mark Vincent. After a number of failed attempts, and just when it looked as if sudden-death might be called for (perhaps as a way of eliminating contestants?), the game was won by Mrs Vincent (mother of Tom, occasional kitman and sometime vetenary student, and no relation to Mark), who pocketed a cool £45!
Club chairman Arthur Fisk thanked all the volunteer workers, sung and unsung, without whom the club could not run.
