Players of the season

The club held its fourth annual presentation evening on Friday night and despite the first team ending the season without a trophy for the first time in our short history, there was still plenty to be proud of.

Simon Carden received the Russell Delaney Player of the Season, as voted for by the supporters, Adam Carden was the most popular amongst his peers winning Players’ Player of the Season and Sam Ashton was awarded Karl Marginson’s Manager’s Player of the Season.

Simon, who made his debut for FC United in September 2005, put in some of his best performances yet for the club during his fourth season whilst making 43 appearances, the most of any outfield player, and scoring 12 goals.

Often compared to Paul Scholes for his knack of scoring important goals from midfield, it’s not just Simon’s playing style that is similar to Middleton’s finest. Like Scholes, the 30-year-old Stretfordian enjoys doing his talking on the pitch and prefers not to say too much off it but wanted to pass on his thanks to supporters for the accolade.

Adam Carden on the other hand was more than happy to say a few words. On receiving his award he said: "I’m made up. We’ve got some very good players so to be voted the best this season by the lads is great."??

Despite admitting he’s still ’gutted’ about the way the season finished, the 23-year-old scouser can’t wait to get the next one underway. "The atmosphere in the dressing room is superb, we all get on and the banter is quality. If we’d have started the season how we finished it we’d have definitely been promoted. Next year we’ve just got to put it right and go up as champions."??

And Adam is convinced that the club will be able to hang on to the current squad of players to go for that assault on the title. He added: "All the players know that this is the club to be at. We could go elsewhere for more money but I don’t think any of us would leave unless it was for a league club. It would take something big for us to leave.

"Where else can you walk out every week in front of two or three thousand fans who are constantly singing? They never get on your back either. I’ve had a few bad games but they always support you. If anything, if we go a goal down the fans get louder."??

As well as the first team awards, the double - and potentially treble - winning youth team were presented with their trophies too. Centre-back Nick Swirad was voted Players’ Player of the Season and midfielder Mark Reeves was named manager Peter Freakes’ Player of the Season.

The club would like to thank all supporters who were able to attend the presentation evening and helped to make it a great night.