Record poll tipped to choose the season's stars!

More supporters than ever are expected to help crown their top star of the season at the 2015 EVO-STIK Northern Premier League Players of the Year Awards.

Won last year by Darlington’s Steven Thompson, the NPL Facebook Group Fans Player of the Year is the only footballing honour in the UK run by fans. This season the award will be sponsored by Pitchero for the first time when it is presented to the winner at the four star Brooklands Holiday Inn near Barnsley on Sunday April 19.

With a deadline of Thursday February 26 for supporters to register their nominations approaching, organisers are hoping to see the closest contest yet for the coveted accolade after making it easier than ever for fans who aren't among the NPL Facebook Group's 4000 plus members to ensure their favourites make a shortlist of five players.

Fan representatives from all 68 clubs will then vote on a successor to Darlington’s Thompson who was among more than 30 players honoured on stage in front of their peers last April by former England striker and Manchester City and Oldham Athletic manager Joe Royle.

Thompson followed in the footsteps of North Ferriby United’s Ryan Kendall in 2013 and inaugural winner, former Hednesford hot-shot Cheyenne Dunkley and the social media group's spokesman James Heyes is now urging supporters to ensure the league wide panel of judges receive an avalanche of nominations to consider for the NPL Facenook Group Fans Player of the Year sponsored by Pitchero.

Fans can nominate up to three players via email, on Twitter and Facebook at the fourth annual awards and Heyes said: "We start the planning process for the award in October and this is always the most exciting part, finding out what the fans think.

"It makes it even more special this year as Pitchero have joined forces with us this season and so we have made the voting process really open for everyone who follows the league to take part and especially those fans who don’t use Facebook and Twitter.

"Nominations so far have been close so the coming days before the deadline are going to be really important in deciding who makes the cut. If a player doesn’t get mentioned, then we can’t include them, so its really important the fans nominate their favourites or they will miss out."

Heyes, pictured last season with other members of the group, runners-up Tom Greaves of FC United of Manchester and Worksop Town's Leon Mettam and EVO-STIK NPL chairman Mark Harris, added: "It is a huge honour for us to be part of the Player of the Year Awards for the fourth consecutive year. The supporters' awards are a huge part of the NPL Group’s calendar of events as it’s a chance for the fans to really show their appreciation, not only of their own players but also those earning recognition elsewhere."

The countdown to the 2015 EVO-STIK Northern Premier League Players of the Year Awards started last weekend when voting forms went out with a March 16 deadline for managers to choose a 'player of the year' and 'young player of year' in each division along with eleven more in three EVO-STIK NPL 'teams of the year'.

The annual awards are returning to Barnsley for the fourth year running since World Cup referee Howard Webb handed out the inaugural accolades in 2012 alongside BBC 5 Live and Non-League Show presenter Caroline Barker.

The brainchild of former Manchester City keeper and NPL man Alan Ogley, the EVO-STIK NPL Players of the Year Awards are a unique celebration at the top levels of Non-League football with the focus on recognising the impact of players on the campaign and since last season fans too with the EVO-STIK NPL Supporter of the Year Award, won for the first time by Mossley AFC fan Kath Field.

NPL Facebook Group Fans’ Player of the Year 2015

How to vote:

Visit www.facebook.com/groups/theNPL and comment on the awards post at the top
Via Twitter by using the Hashtag #NPLSP15 (the hashtag must be used due to the counting system used)
Via email to: NPLSPOTS2015@hotmail.com

Rules
Fans may nominate up to three players, however only one player per club.
Nominated players must be active in the EVO-STIK NPL and must not be on a short term loan, unless from another EVO-STIK NPL club.
The deadline for nominations is 11.59pm on February 26.
Players who have joined a club on short term Loan, youth loan or work experience are ineligible for award unless they have joined from another team in the NPL.
NPL Academy players are eligible for the award providing they have played one first team match in the EVO-STIK NPL during the season.
Players are not allowed to nominate themselves.

* Look out for updates on the 2015 EVO-STIK NPL Players of the Year Awards over the coming weeks on the league’s official website and on the pages of individual club websites.

Image courtesy of Graham Lindley

Follow us: @evostikleague on Twitter | The NPL group on Facebook by clicking here: www.facebook.com/groups/TheNPL/