Fans and managers starting to vote!

With less six weeks to go before Welsh legend Dean Saunders hands out the accolades at the 2017 EVO-STIK Northern Premier League Players of the Year Awards, the online poll for managers starts on Wednesday before supporters start choosing the successor to 2016 winner Karl Hawley from five nominations on Thursday.

The countdown to the sixth annual awards night dedicated to EVO-STIK NPL’s players at the four star Brooklands Holiday Inn near Barnsley on Sunday 9 April got underway in January when supporters nominated more than a hundred players for the EVO-STIK NPL Show Supporters Player of the Year.

Sponsored for the first time this season by the EVO-STIK NPL’s hit stable of podcasts, supporters can start voting from 7pm on Thursday when the nominations for the coveted accolade are announced simultaneously on the league’s website and social media channels as well as during the recording a special awards edition of the monthly EVO-STIK NPL Show.

EVO-STIK NPL Show regular James Heyes and host Ben Hughes will help Saunders present the supporters' award in front of more than 300 guests at the plush venue after fans choose their top three stars over the following 12 days by clicking on a special voting button.

According to Hayes, the poll of fans via the link on the home page of the official website is likely to be the closest ever before it closes at a minute to a midnight on Sunday 12 March.

He said: “It was not an easy job for the shortlisters this year and it has led to an even more difficult one for the fans to make their decision but I believe this season’s choices are a true reflection of the league as a whole. It’s up to the fans now to make what they think are their right choices so it is going to go right to the wire and there is no way to predict the winner.”

The EVO-STIK NPL’s managers have until 5pm on Sunday 12 March to register their choices for a 'Player of the Year' and 'Young Player of Year' in each of their divisions along with three EVO-STIK NPL 'Teams of the Year.'

The ceremony is set to be broadcast live on Facebook and social media for the first time this season and as guest of honour, former Welsh international Saunders will follow in the footsteps of Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans, England C manager Paul Fairclough, Manchester City and Everton legend Joe Royle, former Wales boss Brian Flynn and World Cup referee Howard Webb at the inaugural awards in 2012.

An awarding-winning after dinner speaker, the BT Sport and BBC pundit is also set to entertain supporters with tales from his career and the game before honouring the EVO-STIK NPL’s finest, including the next generation of stars coming through the NPL Football Academy after they were invited to the event for the first time last season.

Unique in the top levels of Non-League football with the focus on the players and the winners chosen by the EVO-STIK NPL’s managers and fans, the now annual awards are the brainchild of former Manchester City keeper and Evo-Stik NPL stalwart Alan Ogley.

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