Kai Evans was the big winner at Nantwich Town’s annual Men’s Awards Evening, including the top award of Player of the Season, writes Liam Price.
Striker Evans won three honours including Top Goalscorer, Best Goal and Men’s Player of the Season.
The packed awards night at the Swansway Stadium included memories of a couple of former Dabbers figures who have died in the past year.
Albert Pye’s six decades of service to the Dabbers were rightly recognised, and his wife Olga was present at the awards.
Also recognised was former player George Machin, who made nearly 100 appearances for the Dabbers in the 1970s after a long spell at Stafford Rangers. He is regarded as one of their greatest ever players.
Club volunteers were also honoured, including stalwarts like Roy Tilley, Bernard Lycett and Anne and Clive Thomasson who all received gifts for their work.
The first award of the evening was Supporter of the Season. Picked by the NTISA, this was won jointly by Eddie Gould and Peter Boulton.
Next was Outstanding Contribution of the Season, which went to Carl Thorpe. His tireless efforts as both secretary and kitman this year were well worthy of this award.
The final Player of the Month award for April was given to Callum Saunders, who scored four goals in April including a brilliant first half hat-trick against Hanley.
After this, it was time for the NTISA’s Golden Moment of the Season.
The standout was chosen as Byron Harrison’s last minute winner away at Wythenshawe Town in March to complete a come-from-behind victory and spark wild celebrations in the away end.
The supporter’s association’s final award was their NTISA Player of the Season.
Calculated via a points-based system related to the Player of the Month votes, providing a measure of consistently good performances across a season, it went to Tom Pratt.
His dogged and determined performances, combined with seven goals and five assists, made him a deserved recipient.
The Top Assists award went to Nathan Sandison, who topped the list with 13 before he went to Bootle and was never overtaken.
Top Goalscorer was went to Evans for this first award of the night. With 17, he went one better than his second place finish last season.
Nine of those goals came in hat-tricks and bursts of form that would beat any player in the league.
The first fan-voted award of the evening was Goal of the Season.
This was won by a large margin by that man Evans.
His second goal against Hanley, a move he started and finished with a superb run after good work also by Pratt and Byron Harrison, was a goal worthy of the award which he’s now won in back-to-back years.
A new award this year was the Manager’s Young Player of the Season. Chosen by Jon Moran and his coaching team, this went to James Melhado.
Melhado appeared in all but one game in all competitions, instantly making the right back slot his own and reaching double figures in goal contributions.
Next was Manager’s Player of the Season. On his return to the club after 15 years away, Kelvin Mellor was the winner.
He appeared in every league game and popping up with four goals, and wore the captain’s armband in the absence of Troy Bourne.
He also excelled despite playing most of the season in defensive midfield.
Byron Harrison won the Player’s Player of the Season. He scored 13 goals and nine assists, and barely a game missed yet again. His career is having an Indian Summer at the Swansway Stadium.
The Nantwich Town Men’s Young Player of the Season 2024/25, as voted for by supporters, went to Matty Tweedley.
In his first full season of senior football, Tweedley made 42 appearances and got seven assists.
His constant running in midfield, winning the ball back, and eye for a pass clearly caught the eye of many Nantwich supporters.
And Evans then completed his hat-trick winning the Nantwich Town Men’s Player of the Season 2024/25, was voted for by supporters.
With 17 goals and six assists in 39 appearances, it’s easy to forget he’s only 21 and probably some way off his peak as well.
There was then an announcement courtesy of Jon Moran that assistant manager James Speare would be leaving the club this summer.
Title-winning Nantwich Town Women’s team will be celebrating their own awards evening on Saturday May 17th.
Tickets available via https://nantwichtownfc.ktckts.com/event/nanwomawa25/202425-womens-awards-evening
(Images courtesy of Peter Robinson)
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