O'Toole the big winner as Cobblers celebrate title success in style

HE'S GOT AWARDS, LOTS OF AWARDS - John-Joe O'Toole is pictured alongside Tom Jennings, who presented the player with his prizes for winning the Chronicle & Echo Supporters' Player of the Year award (Picture: Pete Norton)

The midfielder picked up the main award of the night, the Chronicle & Echo Cobblers supporters’ player of the year gong, as well as the away player of the season trophy which is voted for by members of the Sixfields Travel Club.

On a night where the club celebrated its fantastic Sky Bet League Two title triumph, other winners from the first team squad were Adam Smith and Ricky Holmes.

Goalkeeper Smith, who has enjoyed an outstanding first full season in senior football, landed the players’ player of the year award, while Holmes, as well as being named the PFA community champion, also won the award for goal of the season for his magnificent volley in the 4-0 win at Leyton Orient.

Holmes was also runner-up in the Chron’s supporters’ vote, with left-back Dave Buchanan third.

It wasn’t just a night to celebrate the first team’s achievements though, as there were also awards for the disability team, the ladies team and the club’s Academy youngsters.

The disabled player of the season award went to Tom Worth, while the Academy player of the season was won by James Hammond.

The prize for the ladies team player of the season went to Georgia Tear, with the whole ladies squad also taking to the stage to celebrate their County Cup triumph.

Arguably the most popular award of the evening went to first team kit man Adam Moreton, who was named clubman of the year.

Before he picked up his award, there was a video of Moreton played on the big screen where he described his weekly work, and there was also an interview with club skipper Marc Richards, who said Moreton is ‘the hearbeat of the football club’, explaining just how much the first team players love him.

Through the night, there was a speech from chairman Kelvin Thomas, who spoke of the fantastic spirit at the club and the unity that is now there between everybody from first team manager to supporters, while compere for the night Tom Cliffe also interviewed skipper Richards, Chris Wilder and the award winners.

The players will now enjoy a bit of time off, before returning to training and preparing for Saturday’s trip to Portsmouth.

It is the team’s final game of the season, and they need a win to match the club record points haul for a season of 99, which is held by Graham Carr’s title winners of 1987.