6 May 2017

 

After a hugely successful season for the first team, and a much busier season for the seconds, VMFC held its traditional End of Season Do and Annual General Meeting with a twist... by combining them. 

 

The formal elements of the evening - reports, elections, motions - were interspersed with the fun elements. There were videos featuring the club's 20th anniversary, the first team's season, the second team's season, club activities away from the pitch, a countdown of the top forty most liked images on the club's Instagram account and a promotional video from the Paris 2018 Gay Games organisers. 

 

Virtually no player got away with a ribbing as Jay put on the traditional 'Have I Got (Village) News For You' presentation. We won't repeat them here!

 

There were two special moments as VMFC unveiled a new annual award, the Clubman of the Year. This will be awarded to someone whose attitude during the year has personified the club's ethos and whose attitude has added positively to the club. 

 

The second special award was given to a member for 20 years of service to the club, an amazing personal commitment. 

 

The winners of this year's awards were:

 

• Second Team Manager's Player: Colin Hayes

• Second Team Players' Player: George Walpole

• First Team Manager's Player: Damien Mooney

• First Team Players' Player: James Wilson 

• Linten Technologies Award for Most Improved Player: James Cole

• Contributor of the Year: Steve Joyce

• Clubman of the Year (for personifying the club's ethos): Jay McNaught

• Special Award for Long Service (20 years): John Bridges 

• Attendance at Training Award: Sam Hardstaff 

• Goal of the Season: Shane Rider

• Golden Boot Award: Damo Mooney

• Rookie of the Year: Joe Matthews

• Delicate Flower Award for the Most Easily Injured: Steven Holmes 

• Bi Now Gay Later Award: Marc Gibson

• Award for the Only American in History Not to Fight Back: Jeremy Baker

 

There was a thank you to coach Jack Bennett who has gone above and beyond this season, and a special thank you to outgoing second team manager Rob McPherson for his years of hard work. Sometimes very hard!

 

Well done to all the winners and also a huge thank you to everyone who took part in VMFC during 2016/17. 

 

We would like to thank Via for hosting a fantastic evening and New York New York for sponsoring our Player of the Month awards during the season. 

 

A final and biggest thank you to our ace sponsors, Linten Technologies. 

 

Words & photos: Steve Joyce