Flynn was super star of show!

Doncaster Rover boss Brian Flynn turned out to be one of the stars of the 2013 Evo-Stik Northern Premier League’s Players of the Year Awards.

The diminutive former Wales, Wrexham and Swansea manager, pictured, showed just why he's one of football's most popular personalities, happily joking about his stature throughout last Sunday night's celebrations to nearly three hundred guests assembled in Barnsley to honour the league's biggest entertainers.

The 57-year-old title-chasing League One manager kicked off the event at the four star Brooklands Holiday Inn by comparing himself to Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, telling the audience: "He might have been a better player than me and you might have preferred him here tonight but I'm still bigger than Messi, by half an inch!"

The brainchild of former Manchester City keeper and Evo-Stik NPL stalwart Alan Ogley, the NPL's second annual awards were unique in the top levels of Non-Football with the focus on recognising the league's star players and the winners chosen by managers and coaches.

North Ferriby United’s striker Ryan Kendall is sure to lead the coverage after taking home what was arguably the most coveted accolade from Sunday’s event, the NPL Facebook Group Fans Player of the Year Award. Kendall was just one of nearly forty players honoured on the night as guests enjoyed a three course dinner and entertainment from one of the North’s top comedians, Lea Roberts, the former Rugby League professional.

After the stars named in the Teams of the Year covering the NPL’s three divisions were honoured on stage by Flynn and NPL Chairman Mark Harris who jointly hosted the event, some of the loudest cheers of the evening went to the six players named as Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year in their respective divisions.

Kidsgrove Athletic’s Jack Sherratt, fresh from winning Samsung’s ‘Win a Pro Contract’ competition last weekend, was named as the First Division South Young Player of the Year while the First Division North award went to Skelmersdale United's Gary Burnett. AFC’s Fylde’s Sean Cooke took the Premier Division’s accolade.

Hednesford's Elliott Durrell was honoured as the Premier Division Player of the Year while Curzon Ashton's Kristian Dennis and Halesowen's Ben Haseley took home the First Division North and South accolades respectively.

Matlock Town's Chief Executive Keith Brown also took home an award on Sunday after he was honoured with the NPL's Merit Award for his long service to the league.