Eschewing an age-old joke about an Englishman, an Irishman, and Welshman walked into a bar, as Elliott Hewitt (Welshman) walked away with four awards alone, Stephen Quinn (Irishman) nabbed one, and English duo of Lucas Akins (shared) and Ollie Clarke, also picked up honours.
Prior to all those being handed, alongside the awards’ respective sponsors, was that of the Ladies, and Academy, Player of the Season awards also.
Managed by Andi Bell, they having finished fourth in this seasons’ East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division, and having reached the final of the Notts FA Women’s County Cup (they’ll face league champions, Notts County, alter this month), the Ladies Player of the Season went to ex-Nottingham Forest and Derby County defender, Chloe Hutsby, who is finishing her first season back in the game.
The Academy’s Player of the Season was striker, McKeal Abdullah, a fast-paced frontman who’s bagged over twenty goals this season, and caught the attention of the first team manager, Nigel Clough, he, among a couple of others, being called into the main squad in the latter stages of the EFL League Two campaign.
Ladies Player of the Season (sponsored by SDC Trailers) – Chloe Hutsby (sixteen games played)
Academy Player of the Season (sponsored by R.E.A.L Education) – McKeal Abdullah (20+ goals scored)
The first of defender, Elliott Hewitt’s four awards, was to be the SSA Player of the Season, he claiming both that, and the Supporters Player of the Season for 2022/23; the former, Welsh U21 international has appeared in some 42 games this season, near-enough doubling his tally in a Stags jersey.
Stags Supporters Association Player of the Season (sponsored by The SSA) – Elliott Hewitt
WATCH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STAGS’ AWARDS EVENING HERE
Goal of the Season (Ulyett Landscapes Ltd) – Ollie Clarke (3 September ’22, away to Doncaster Rovers, volley in 3-1 win)
Supporters Player of the Year (BAPP for Bolts) – Elliott Hewitt
The Goal of the Season award was presented to captain, Ollie Clarke, for his volley in the 3-1 win away to Doncaster Rovers earlier in the season; early September, and the Stags captain proceeded to open the scoring; a cross from now-former Stag, George Lapslie, was headed clear by Rover’s Ro-Shaun Williams, with Clarke firing a fierce volley, from the edge of the box, into home ‘keeper, Jonathan Mitchells’ top left corner, George Maris, and a Lucas Akins penalty sealing the three points.
Defender, Hewitt, picked up two further awards, with the Players’ Player of the Season, and the Directors’ Player of the Season, testimony for the hard work in which he, and his teammates, have put in during the course of the season.
In regards the Players’ Player, Hewitt would beat second place Stephen Quinn, and third place Lucas Akins, to the award, whilst with the Directors’ Player award, Hewitt would share the spoils with teammate and striker, Lucas Akins.
Akins only joined the Stags at the start of last year (2022) following a lengthy spell with Burton Albion, a club with whom he racked up more than 300 appearances, in seven-and-a-half seasons; in his near thirty outings for the Stags this campaign he has netted seven times.
Players’ Player of the Season (sponsored by Creative Steelwork) – (1) Elliott Hewitt; (2) Stephen Quinn; (3) Lucas Akins
Directors’ Player of the Season (sponsored by A.Wass Funeral Directors) – Elliott Hewitt // Lucas Akins (shared)
Co-Chair (John & Carolyn Radford) Player of the Season (sponsored by Rima-Faz Indian Restaurant) – Stephen Quinn
The final award of the evening, held at the One Call Stadium, the one deliberated over by the Stags’ co-chairs in John and Carolyn Radford, went to Irishman, Stephen Quinn.
An Irish international midfielder, Quin joined the club from Burton Albion, initially on-loan, in January 2021, the club making the deal permanent that summer; he has already racked up near seventy appearances for the club and, although in his late thirties, still has a lot in the tank in which to give.
Mansfield Town’s last game of the season (to date) takes place this coming Monday (8 April), when they make the trip to fifth-bottom, Colchester United knowing even victory might not be enough to see themselves into the play-offs – results need to go in Nigel Clough’s sides favour, elsewhere.
You can keep up-to-date with all things Mansfield via their socials, on Facebook here and Twitter here and via their website here.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Stephen Quinn wins the co-chair award for player of the season.
