First star has a beer on Bowlands!

AFC Mansfield's proud Lynton Karkach is pictured becoming one of the first stars of August to be honoured and collect a case of Bowland's Hen Harrier from Bulls vice president Barry Coleman as clubs across the league asked their managers, officials, volunteers and fans to choose their winners on the final day of the month.

Karkach, who's just turned 22 and came through the youth set up at Gainsborough Trinity, helped the U21s at the EVO-STIK League East newcomers lift the North Midlands League Cup last season and finish as league runners-up in 2016-17. After stepping up this season, he was chosen as the club's top scorer with four goals so far in all competitions.

Thanks to the EVO-STIK League's unique partnership with the brewers and new official suppliers of cask beer, Karkach and 61 other players will be toasting the competition's partners over the coming days with clubs posting pictures of their winners on social media using #Bowland to publicise the newly sponsored monthly awards.

The EVO-STIK League's top bosses are also looking forward to enjoying the taste of Bowlands with the brewers also sponsoring new divisional Manager of the Month accolades for season 2018-19 and the first winners expected to be named within days.

Unveiled in June at the Northern Premier League’s AGM and end of season awards night after signing a two year deal to sponsor new monthly player and manager awards, the traditional brewers are hoping supporters will start seeking out new official cask ale Hen Harrier whenever their clubs are in action.

Club delegates who attended the annual showcase for the EVO-STIK League’s sponsors and commercial partners at Blackpool’s Hilton Hotel know all about the range of authentic cask and contemporary British craft beers produced by the Clitheroe-based brewers after leaving for home with multiple cases of Hen Harrier for their first award winners of the season.

With a ‘Player of the Month’ from every club and the three stand-out divisional managers to be rewarded, the EVO-STIK League’s latest commercial partners are set to hand over nearly six hundred cases and thousands of bottles of Hen Harrier as prizes.

The sponsor's expert staff are also be on hand as official suppliers to offer advice to member clubs on setting up bars, pricing and events on an individual basis, at regional meetings and via newsletters and information packs.

The brewers are no strangers to football with a range of beers already on sale at a number of Football League and Premier League clubs including Accrington Stanley and Burnley. At the latter, they even have a bus parked in the fan park on matchdays as a mobile bar!

Based in the heart of the Ribble Valley, Bowland Brewery supply beers billed as 'Ales of Outstanding Natural Beauty' by the bottle and by cask. For more information visit: www.bowlandbrewery.com.

Image courtesy of @AFCMansfield/Twitter

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