THE Shoestring Chargrill-sponsored Chippenham Sunday Football League held its AGM and presentation evening last Thursday at Spencer Sports & Social Club in Melksham, and the biggest winners on the night were Wednesday Warriors who pocketed £275 after topping the fair play charts.

Stuart Green’s side were one of 19 clubs and individuals who were rewarded for their achievements on a night when, thanks to sponsorship from Shoestrings and the Gazette & Herald, they presented nearly £2250.00 in cash and vouchers.

Zack Manna captured both the Gazette & Herald-sponsored Golden Boot and Player of the Season award.

Both awards were sealed on the final day of the season, when his hat trick for Division One runners-up Faded away at New Inn Wacker took his goals tally for the season to 27.

In the same game, his player of the match nomination took him clear of a clutch of challengers to claim one of the closest ever battles for the Player of the Season accolade by one vote.

Chris Simpkins received the Best Secretary award for his outstanding work with Division One outfit Kingfisher and Martin Bray claimed the Gordon Blatchford Award his outstanding commitment to Premier Division side Semington.

The evening opened with league chairman Andy Hillier presenting the awards to the divisional winners and runners-up, with Pheasant picking up £125 for winning the Premier Division title ahead of runners-up FC Lacock.

Bromham and Faded finished first and second in Division One, while pole position in Division Two went to newcomers Bromham ahead of fellow new boys Lion & Fiddle.

All divisional winners received £100 each, while the runners-up collected £50 each.

Division Two side Wednesday Warriors saw their attitude towards fair play rewarded as a combined average mark of 8.37 from both referees and fellow clubs saw them take the Fair Play accolade.

Along with the £125 for winning their respective division, they collected a further bonus of £150 as overall winners.

Other divisional winners who claimed £100 a piece were Bell By The Green (Premier Division), Westbury Railway (Division One).

Division One outfit Kingfisher provided the Top Club Assistant Referee, with Semington taking the Premier Division prize and Worton & Cheverell doing likewise in Division Two. All three clubs picked up a trophy and £80.

Sam Gooding picked up the Best Senior Referee award for a third successive season, while Ella Broad won the Best Junior Referee prize. Along with their trophies, both were given a cheque for £75.

Kate Foote, from the Wiltshire FA, presented Duncan Clarke with the Mick Bevan Memorial Shield which was presented to the county by the family of the late Mick Bevan following his death in 1978 and is awarded annually by the county FA to the most outstanding junior referee between the ages of 16 and 28 years.

League president Ken Clarke received a Football Association 50 Years’ Service award for his outstanding contribution to local football, which started in 1967 when he was the acting secretary of Bulwark FC.

He joined the Chippenham League management committee in 1975 and also refereed on the league for nearly 20 years. He took on the role of league secretary between 1982 and 1998 before becoming chairman for two seasons before taking over as president in 2003 – a position he holds to the present day.

Over the years, he has held numerous posts on various leagues, which include the Wiltshire Senior League, the Western League and has been involved with the Football Association Focus Group.

John Haigh presented Clarke with a certificate, medal and lapel badge.

After finishing the last campaign with just 31 teams, and losing four more at the end of the season, eight new clubs are to join the league ahead of the 2019-20 season.

Bremhill View, Chippenham Icons, FC Devizes United, FC Trowbridge, Lavis FC, Misfits, Royal Oak and Spartak Rudloe are all set to join when the new season kicks off on Sunday, September 1.

Golden Boot

GOING into the final Sunday of the season, Matthew Poole, of Division Two side Old Road, had looked set to be crowed top scorer. However, the striker was pipped at the post by Faded’s Zack Manna, whose treble on the final day of the season saw him claim the prize with 27 goals.

Cader Esoof, on behalf of sponsors the Gazette & Herald, presented Manna with the award and £100 worth of sports vouchers.

Esoof also presented Premier Division joint top-scorers James Dark and Paul Gittens, who finished with 21 apiece, with their awards.

Player of the Season

IN what was one of the closest-ever battles to be crowned Player of the Season, the destination of this year’s award could have ended in five-way tie as James Dark (AFC Melksham), Paul Gittins (Pheasant), Billy Gleed (FC Lacock), Ryan Bole (Bromham) and Zack Manna (Faded), went down to the final day of the season with six player of the match awards to their names.

A final-day hat-trick for Faded away at New Inn didn’t just earn Manna the top goal scorer award, it also saw his efforts rewarded with a seventh and all important player of the match nomination, which in turn saw him pip his rivals to the title of Player of the Season by one vote.

Manna received his award, a certificate and a £100 worth of sports vouchers from Cader Esoof

Secretary of the Year

THIS season’s search for the Secretary of the Year was one of the hardest for a very long time.

However, the standout person to emerge from a long list of possibilities was Kingfisher’s Chris Simpkins, who has been in his post for a couple of years and is the founder of the club.

For the last two seasons, Simpkins has been the first in the county to affiliate his club to the Wiltshire FA and in doing so this year won £250 worth of sports vouchers for his club.

Simpkins was undoubtedly the deserved winner of the Gazette & Herald-sponsored award which was presented by Cader Esoof.

Gordon Blatchford Award

MARTIN Bray, the hardworking secretary of Semington, became the latest recipient of the Gordon Blatchford Award, which is presented annually to an individual or club who the league believe has gone the extra mile to give something back to grassroots football.

Bray, who works tirelessly and selflessly to ensure everything is in position for not just the Semington Sunday side, but also Semington Magpies, was nominated by Bobby Mitchell.

Bray completes all the secretarial and treasury work required for both teams and as groundsman, cuts the grass and marks pitches on a weekly basis ready for every home game. He also cuts hedges and is constantly working to improve the ground at Little Marsh for all players and spectators.

He attends the majority of matches providing encouragement and support to all involved, he cleans up the changing rooms after games, arranges events and BBQs to raise money for both teams to provide equipment and the smooth running of both clubs, for which he has been contributing for upward of 10 years, while his service to Semington as a player go well beyond those years.

Bray picked up his award from league president Ken Clarke.

ROLL OF HONOUR 2018/19

Premier Division - Winners: Pheasant FC. Runners-up: FC Lacock

Division One - Winners: Bromham FC. Runners-up: Faded FC

Division Two - Winners: Worton & Cheverell FC. Runners-up: Lion & Fiddle FC

Knockout Cup (sponsored by AM Print & Copy): Box Rovers 2 AFC Melksham 0

WG Parr Trophy (sponsored by Westernsport Trophies): Bath Road 2 New Inn Wacker FC 0

Subsidiary Cup (sponsored by Gooding Accounts): Lion & Fiddle FC 7 Bromham FC 1

KEN CLARKE FAIR PLAY AWARDS

Premier Division: 1st Bell By The Green FC, 2nd Bath Road FC, 3rd Semington FC

Division One: 1st Westbury Railway FC, 2nd Brunel FC, 3rd Bromham FC

Division Two: 1st Wednesday Warriors FC, 2nd Gloucester Cons FC, 3rd White Hart FC

Overall Winner: Wednesday Warriors FC

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Overall winner: Zack Manna (Faded FC)

TOP GOAL SCORERS

Overall winner: Zack Manna (Faded FC, 27)

Premier Division: James Dark (AFC Melksham, 21), Paul Gittins (AFC Melksham, 21)

Division One: Zack Manna (Faded FC, 27)

Division Two: Matthew Poole (Old Road FC, 25)

TOP CLUB ASSISTANT REFEREES

Premier Division: Semington FC

Division One: Kingfisher FC

Division Two: Worton & Cheverell FC

Overall winner: Kingfisher FC

BEST SENIOR REFEREE

Overall winner: Sam Gooding

BEST JUNIOR REFEREE

Overall winner: Ella Broad

BEST CLUB SECRETARY

Overall winner: Chris Simpkins (Kingfisher FC)

GORDON BLATCHFORD AWARD

Overall winner: Martin Bray