Experienced defender, Adedeji ‘Deji’ Oshilaja, featured heavily in Mansfield Town’s end of season awards night, claiming no fewer than five (eight in total), including a PFA Community Champions award alongside the MTFC Ladies’ Monica Bowley.

One of a number of players retained, or having options triggered by the club, Oshilaja, 32, only joined the Stags last summer (June 2024) after three seasons with Burton Albion, after the club were promoted to EFL League One, a status they’ve retained in the season just finished.

Throughout the 2024/25 campaign, the tough tackling centre-half made 43 appearances for Nigel Clough’s side, scoring three times, netting his first away to Lincoln City back in August; his value to the Stags was rewarded with five, end of season awards.

Alongside Bowley, the duo was named as the clubs PFA Community Champions, before Oshilaja went on to collect another four awards, these were as follows –

Stags Supporters Association Player of the Season

Supporters Player of the Season (with more than 77% of the votes)

Players Player of the Season

Director’s Player of the Season

In addition to the club awards, Oshilaja also completed a clean sweep of supporters’ awards, claiming those of the Shirebrook Stags, Ollerton Stags, and The Chad Readers’ Player of the Season trophies.

With Bowley claiming a PFA honour, she was also joined on-stage by team-mate, Chloe Hutsby, who was awarded the Ladies Player of the Season, ahead of their upcoming cup finals, in the Nottinghamshire FA County Cup, and East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Plate.

Several other awards were also presented on the night, with Australian international midfielder, Keanu Baccus, being named the Director’s (John & Carolyn Radford) Player of the Season; Academy Director’s Player of the Season was Taylor Anderson, and Academy Player of the Season went to Milla Shore, with goalkeeper Jake Eaton being named the Ability Counts Player of the Season.

The remaining two awards presented were the Golden Boot, to Will Evans, for his fourteen goals, and the Goal of the Season, for Stephen Quinn’s effort against Barnsley, the opening goal in the Stags’ 2-1 win at Oakwell back on 9 August 2024.

It was the opening day of the League One season, and the BBC said of the opener –

The deadlock was broken in the 13^th minute when Quinn struck a left-footed effort into the top-right corner from outside the box.

Wednesday (7 May) meanwhile saw the Stags release their retained list ahead of the summer, with the following names mentioned –

Retained (under contract): Keanu Baccus, Frazer Blake-Tracey, George Cooper, James Gale, Will Evans, George Maris, Owen Mason, Deji Oshilaja

Options Triggered: Baily Cargill, Elliott Hewitt, Aaron Lewis, Rhys Oates, Louis Reed

Contract Discussions (continuing): Jordan Bowery, Dom Dwyer, Lee Gregory, Stephen McLaughlin, Scott Flinders

Expiration of Loans: Matthew Craig (Tottenham Hotspur), Jordan Rhodes (Blackpool), Caylan Vickers (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ben Waine (Plymouth Argyle)

Released: Horam Boateng, Aden Flint, Alfie Kilgour, Calum Macdonald, Tom Nichols, Christy Pym, Ben Quinn, Stephen Quinn, George Williams

Congratulations to the Stags’ end of season award winners, and supporters can now look forward to whatever the summer brings, both in the transfer window, and with the upcoming, pre-season friendlies.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Deji (centre) with his supporters player of the season award.