Sunderland old boy wins North East best player award

[Blyth]

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/safc/S...rth.5793530.jp

Danny Collins has won the North East Football Writers Association footballer of the year award for 2008/09.
The 29-year-old joins North East legends such as Niall Quinn, Kevin Phillips, Alan Shearer and Shay Given on the roll call of winners of the major regional honour.

But he will have to travel up from new club Stoke City to receive his award after being surprisingly sold in the summer transfer window as part of Steve Bruce's rebuilding programme at the Stadium of Light.

Collins was the overwhelming choice for the award, beating off competition from runner-up Sebastien Bassong, who has joined Spurs, and third-placed former Middlesbrough favourite Tuncay, who is now with Collins at Stoke.

With Newcastle and Middlesbrough both relegated last season and the region's lower-league clubs Hartlepool, Darlington and Carlisle having indifferent seasons, Collins looked an obvious choice for the honour.

The Wales international was signed from Chester City by Mick McCarthy for just £140,000 in 2004 and went on to make more than 150 appearances for the Wearsiders.

For the past two seasons, he has been voted Player of the Year by Sunderland fans on the back of consistent and whole-hearted performances at centre-half or left-back.

His sale to Stoke in August is perhaps the only controversial note of Bruce's managerial reign so far, with many fans feeling the services of the utility player should have been retained.

But Bruce felt the offer of £2.75million for Collins, rising to a potential £4m, was too good to miss during a close season in which he had brought in Paulo Da Silva and John Mensah.

Crucially he had hoped to buy Wigan's Maynor Figueroa as a replacement for Collins, but the deal fell through as the window closed and left-back has remained an issue for Sunderland since his departure.

Meanwhile, the progress of Middlesbrough winger, and Sunderland target, Adam Johnson has been recognised by the region's football writers, with the England Under-21 cap picking up the young player of the year award.

Collins and Johnson will be presented with their awards at a dinner in Durham later this month when the region's football scribes will also recognise the contribution of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

Alan Shearer will accept the presentation of the coveted John Fotheringham Award to the foundation on Sunday, November 29 at the Ramside Hall Hotel.

Comedian Kevin Connelly will be guest speaker at the dinner which costs £45 per head and attracts football stars past and present.

[Weremuthe]

Feckin hell - I thought the days of Journo's always being pissed were over.

I'd have Song or Tuncay and a dozen others before him.

[ferryhill mackem]

it really was a dismal year for north east football if this guy is winning player of the year

[Daniels]

Its highly likely that one of our players will win it this year. But who, Cattermole, Cana, Bent, Reid and Turner are early candidates for it.

[Captain_Fishpaste]

Originally Posted by Daniels

Its highly likely that one of our players will win it this year. But who, Cattermole, Cana, Bent, Reid and Turner are early candidates for it.

Reckon Danny Collins is a shoe-in for it next year, too.

[SafcForeverFTM]

Originally Posted by Daniels

Its highly likely that one of our players will win it this year. But who, Cattermole, Cana, Bent, Reid and Turner are early candidates for it.

I think it will take an act of God to take it from Cana already

[Daniels]

Originally Posted by SafcForeverFTM

I think it will take an act of God to take it from Cana already

Isnt Cana god? Must mean its his then.

[spider pig]

Originally Posted by Captain_Fishpaste

Reckon Danny Collins is a shoe-in for it next year, too.

Na, it's the Lifetime Achievement award next year for Danny.

Outstanding Contribution and Services to Football is the year after.

[Far Tibetan Mountain]

While his achievements have been overshadowed by the fact that we actually have a good team now, whether or not he's a good footballer he was the outstanding contributer in a piss poor side last year. A year in which the other two north east clubs in the premiership were relegated and Carlisle and Hartlepool were pretty dire; only Darlington had anything other than an indifferent season and they almost went bust!

There was only one candidate for this award to be honest.

[bagpiperay]

What about Nossa for defender of the century?