Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 25 April 2012

25 April 2012

For once the fans had a choice, but it was still pretty clear that Liam Hearn would bag the supporters' Player of the Year award. And he did just that, collecting the biggest trophy of them all at the club's top corporate facility, McMenemy's, last night. Your West Yorkshire Diary notes, however, that Mr Hearn does not appear to be wearing a tie for the occasion in this photo. Scoring 29 goals and being popular with the guests may have helped the venue's manager to overlook the absent-tie-ism on this occasion, I guess, but one can only imagine the dilemma the door staff would have had if Hearn had turned up wearing Converse trainers and skinny jeans.

Congratulations to Conor Townsend too, for earning the supporters' Young Player of the Year award. His arrival coincided with Town's remarkable run of form from late October onwards. His professionalism and composure on the pitch have made it hard for a lot of us to comprehend that he wasn't even born when Mr Blobby achieved a number one hit. And he's of a generation that will never know what it was like to be cut off the internet when someone called the house phone. For football wisdom way beyond his years, we salute you, young Conor. We just hope you're not made to rot with the King$ston Communication$ FC stiffs next season.

As is traditional for the annual awards ceremony, there were plenty of trophies to hand out. The superb new official website has published a useful list of who won what. Town's ever-present goalkeeper James McKeown collected a few, and late flourisher Shaun Pearson won a couple. Well done to all those who contributed to an admirable season, by Town's standards, and we hope to see most of you at the club next season.

One player who looks almost certain to not be at Blundell Park next season is Goal of the Season winner Michael Coulson. After scoring ten goals, accruing a shed load of assists and earning his first England C cap, the managers have decided that he's not worth the money he's on and offered reduced terms, apparently. Coulson has turned down the offer. The managers must be confident that they can find a player who can contribute just as much for less money, then. Coulson is currently the only player in the squad to have amassed more than 100 appearances for the Mariners, and while this shouldn't form the basis of whether he stays or not, it's still the mark of a man who has stayed with the team and given his all through some pretty tough times. Wherever you go next, Michael, we wish you well.