Final countdown for fans to vote!

After 10 days of polling, supporters have until a minute to midnight on Sunday (March 12) to register their online vote for their choice to be crowned EVO-STIK NPL Show Supporters' Player of the Year and follow in the footsteps of 2016 winner Karl Hawley.

Due to be handed out by Welsh legend Dean Saunders at April's 2016-17 EVO-STIK NPL Players of the Year Awards and broadcast live on Facebook and Twitter for the first time, fans face a five star choice for their coveted accolade from Dale Hopson at Whitby Town, Kidsgrove Athletic's player-manager Anthony Malbon, Elliott Rokka at Radcliffe Borough, Farsley Celtic's James Walshaw and Dan Maguire at top flight leaders Blyth Spartans.

The winner and two runners-up will be honoured on stage by Saunders at the four star Brooklands Holiday Inn near Barnsley on Sunday 9 April alongside the stars of the season chosen by the EVO-STIK NPL's managers whose poll also closed earlier on Sunday after ten days of polling since Thursday 2 March. For the sixth year running since the awards were launched in 2012, 39 players will be at the plush venue to collect the top 'Player of the Year' and 'Young Player of Year' honours in each division and take their places in three 'Teams of the Year'.

Sponsored for the first time this season by the EVO-STIK NPL’s hit stable of podcasts, the finalists for the supporters' award were chosen from 91 nominees by a shortlist committee made up of regular contributors to the EVO-STIK NPL Show and fans representing the league's 68 member clubs.

EVO-STIK NPL Show regular James Heyes is looking forward to presenting the award with host Ben Hughes after another marathon mission over two months to choose the nominees and count the votes after Sunday night's poll via a special button on the home page closes.

He said: “It has been a close fought contest and every vote will be counted before the world of football is able to see the results live as they are announced on the night for the first time ever this year.

"The five players may not all be at the top of the goalscorers lists and may not be everyone’s choice but the five have been picked by the supporters of the league through a fair process and what better way could there be to reward the players who light up our lives than this award."

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 league stalwart Alan Ogley.

As guest of honour, former Welsh international Saunders is following 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 who handed out 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.

Like their seniors, they were honoured at the event for the first time last season and this term have already made history after Warrington Town's NPLFA star Euan Woods became the first student to be nominated for a senior award and also receive a shortlist vote.

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