Clarets honoured at Northwest Football Awards

Danny Ings at the launch of his Disability Sports Project

While the Clarets lost their coveted elite playing status last season, they proved top of the table by winning the Premier League’s Community Club of the Year accolade from Everton In The Community, MCFC City In The Community and Manchester United Foundation.

And UCFB Burnley - a Higher Education facility offering degrees and executive education in the football business, sports and leisure industries, based at Turf Moor- won Best Club Sponsorship & Engagement.

Burnley FC In The Community were Highly Commended in the Community Initiative of the Year category for the Danny Ings Disability Sports Project - established to provide free football coaching to children in all seven Special Education Needs Schools in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale region.

Clarets skipper Tom Heaton was beaten to the Premier League Player of the Season award by Manchester City's Golden Boot winner Sergio Aguero.

The Argentine goal machine broke Liverpool’s monopoly on the accolade after wins in the Anfield Red for Lucas, Martin Skrtel, Jamie Carragher and Raheem Sterling.

The 27-year-old South American sharpshooter also saw-off opposition from Liverpool’s Brazilian favourite, Philippe Coutinho, David de Gea (Manchester United) and Phil Jagielka (Everton).

The Awards ceremony was attended by 500 guests and hosted at the Point, Emirates Old Trafford by BBC TV and Radio presenter, Dan Walker.

All awards related to the 2014-2015 campaign when Aguero, who made his City debut in August 2011, netted 26 times, including four against Spurs, to win the Premier League Golden Boot.

The Awards, now in their ninth year and organized by Journey9, don’t only recognize achievement on the pitch. They celebrate the work of the Northwest football family in all areas, especially the outstanding contribution from the club’s community departments.

Laura Wolfe, managing director of Journey9 and the MBNA Northwest Football Awards, said:”I am delighted to say these Awards have been the most successful in our history with record engagement from clubs and businesses alike.

“I would like to thank our sponsors MBNA for the second year running for supporting our vision and enabling us to achieve it.

“Also a huge thank you to the Northwest footballing community who help to make these Awards engaging and fiercely competitive-as all football should be.”

Award winners:

Players of the Year:

Premier League: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City); Championship: Marcus Olsson (Blackburn Rovers); League One: Paul Huntington (Preston North End); League Two: Piero Mingoia (Accrington Stanley); National League: Luke Foster (Southport)

Female Player of the Year:

Jill Scott (Manchester City)

Mob Sport Rising Star:

Josh Windass (Accrington Stanley)

Female:

Gabby George (Everton)

Manager of the Year:

Simon Grayson (Preston North End)

Community Initiative of the Year:

MUFC City in the Community-‘One City Disability Football’; Highly Commended: Burnley FC- Danny Ings Disability Project

Community Club of the Year-Premier League:

Burnley FC in the Community;

Community Club of the Year-All other Leagues:

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust

Best Club Sponsorship & Engagement:

UCFB Burnley-Producing the sports industry’s most employable graduates

Best Club Marketing Campaign:

Everton FC-‘Chosen’- Everton’s 2015/2016 Season Ticket campaign

Professional Services to Football:

Mills & Reeve LLP

Business Service to Football:

Complete Sports Solutions

Journalist of the Year:

Tony Barrett - The Times

Unsung Hero:

Tony Coombes (Tranmere Rovers)

Fabrice Muamba award for Outstanding contribution to Football Medicine and Science:

Dave Fevre (Blackburn Rovers)

Lifetime Contribution to Northwest Football:

Tony Parkes

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