Poll underway for five star choice!

Voting got underway at 7pm on Thursday (March 2) when Whitby Town's Hopson, Rokka at Radcliffe Borough, Farsley Celtic's Walshaw, Kidsgrove Athletic's player-manager Malbon and Maguire at EVO-STIK NPL top flight leaders Blyth Spartans were named on social media and a special podcast of the EVO-STIK NPL Show ahead of April's 2016-17 EVO-STIK Northern Premier League Players of the Year Awards.

Like those chosen by the EVO-STIK NPL's managers, they'll be honoured on stage by Welsh footballing legend Dean Saunders who is due to hand out the accolades in front of more than 300 guests at the four star Brooklands Holiday Inn near Barnsley on Sunday 9 April. For the first time ever, the ceremony, already an event unique in English football, will also be broadcast live on the EVO-STIK NPL's Facebook and Twitter pages.

With less six weeks to go to sixth running of the awards, the online poll for managers kicked off 24 hours earlier with both closing on Sunday 12 March. As in previous seasons, the league's managers are now voting for three EVO-STIK NPL 'Teams of the Year' and a 'Player of the Year' and 'Young Player of Year' in each division.

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 league's 68 member clubs.

To help fans easily vote for the successor to 2016 winner Karl Hawley and two runners-up, a special button on the home page started counting votes from 7pm with the poll closing at a minute to midnight on Sunday week.

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.

Liker their seniors, they were honoured to 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 both be nominated for a senior award and also receive a shortlist vote.

The committee also published its now traditional list of the players who just missed out on making the final. They are: Gavin Allott at Shaw Lane AFC, Luke Benbow at Stourbridge, Bradley Bauress at Witton Albion, Aaron Burns at Trafford FC, Jordan Connerton at Lancaster City, Dan Crane at Hednesford Town, Robbie Dale at Blyth Spartans, Marcus Dinanga at Matlock Town, Liam Dolman at AFC Rushden and Diamonds and Eric Graves at Belper Town.

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.

EVO-STIK NPL Show regular James Heyes and host Ben Hughes were looking forward to helping Saunders present the supporters' award after the special podcast unveiling the players was uploaded for download on Thursday night as supporters started voting over the next 10 days.

Before the poll opened, Hayes said: "I believe this season’s choices are a true reflection of the league as a whole. It’s up to the fans now so it is going to go right to the wire and there is no way to predict the winner.”

To listen to the finalists podcast click here: http://audioboom.com/posts/5666305-evo-stik-npl-show-supporters-player-of-the-season-2016-17.

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