Southland
Southland Football gathered recently to recognise the achievements from the 2020 season.
Players, coaches, officials, administrators, teams, clubs and volunteers were all recognised in a year in which the sport and all involved had overcome the challenges that came with Covid 19.
Over 50 names were received for the Community Awards which covered administrators, coaches, officials, volunteers and clubs indicating the sport is in extremely good health.
Leeann Duston of the Queens Park Club secured the Community Volunteer of the Year Award from fellow finalists Scott Faithfull of Old Boys and Wendy Boniface of Winton while the Winton Football Club was awarded the Club of the Year title ahead of the other finalists, Wyndham Town FC and Gore Wanderers AFC.
Frank O’Boyle of the Old Boys Club claimed the Administrator of the Year Award and Carl Lambert of Wyndham the Coach of the Year. Helen McLeish of the Winton FC was the winner of the Official of the Year while Jack Day and Nicholas McLeish of Winton jointly took out the Young Volunteer of the Year Award.
Promising young referee, Will Dymond, received the Referee Of The Year award.
Russell Bell took the Muriel Matheson Award for his immense contribution to the sport.
Ryo Okuyama of Queens Park received the Singapore Trophy when he was named the Men’s Player of the Year from his fellow finalists, clubmate Liam McLure and Thistle’s George Edwards while Wyndham’s Laura Hill took the honours for Women’s Player of the Year from finalists Ashley Gordon of Thistle and Queens Park’s Kirsty Hayr.
Youth was recognised with Spencer Cunliffe of Queens Park gaining the Men’s Youth Player of the Year and Saffron Hare of Thistle the Women’s Youth Award.
A list of all community awards below:
COMMUNITY AWARDS
- Administrator Of The Year: Frank O’Boyle – Old Boys
(finalists Gordon Crombie – Waihopai/Leeann Duston – Queens Park) - Coach Of The Year: Carl Lambert – Wyndham
(finalists David Fosbender – Old Boys/Winton Jeff Kinraid – Winton) - Official Of The Year: Helen McLeish – Winton
(finalists Scott Faithfull – Old Boys/Will Dymond – Referees Assn) - Young Volunteer Of The Year: Jack Day & Nicholas McLeish – Winton
(finalists Cormac Marron – Winton/Olly Stark – Gore Wanderers) - Community Volunteer Of The Year: Leeann Duston – Queens Park
(finalists Scott Faithfull – Old Boys/Wendy Boniface – Winton) - Club Of The Year: Winton FC
(finalists Gore Wanderers AFC/Wyndham Town FC)
WOMEN’S AWARDS
- Kolk Cup: Queens Park AFC
- Runner-Up Trophy: Gore Wanderers AFC
- Ottley Challenge Trophy: Thistle FC
- Women’s Knockout Trophy: Queens Park AFC
- Golden Boot: Rebecca Walker
- Coach Of The Year: Matt Burgess – Queens Park AFC
- Young Player Of The Year: Saffron Hare – Thistle FC
(finalists Laura Middlemass – Old Boys/Tessa Hayes – Queens Park) - Player Of The Year: Laura Hill – Wyndham Town FC
(finalists Ashley Gordon – Thistle/Kirsty Hayr Queens Park)
MEN’S AWARDS
- Patrons Cup (Division Two) : Old Boys Black
- Division 2 Cup: Queens Park AFC
- Division 2 Trophy: Southend United Green
- Division 2 Plate: Thistle FC
- Presidents Cup (Division One): Winton FC
- Donald Gray Memorial Cup: Queens Park AFC
- George Te Au Cup: Gore Wanderers AFC
- Larry O’Rorke Challenge Trophy: Queens Park AFC
- Charity Cup: Queens Park AFC
- Edinburgh Trophy: Queens Park AFC
- Stu Munro Golden Boot: Anton Fitzgerald
- Coach Of The Year: Patrick Murphy Queens Park AFC
- Young Player Of The Year: Spencer Cunliffe – Queens Park
(finalists Aidan Waddell – Gore Wanderers/Jakob Ballie Thistle) - Player Of The Year (Singapore Trophy): Ryo Okuyama – Queens Park
(finalists George Edwards – Thistle/Liam McLure – Queens Park)
AWARDS
- Referee Of The Year: Will Dymond
- Muriel Mathieson Award: Russell Bell