All’s fair in pursuit of Sporting Award (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

All’s fair in pursuit of Sporting Award

8:29pm Friday 30th December 2011 in Sun Alliance By Trevor Adams

The prize of a new playing kit awaits the winners of the Bradford Sunday Alliance League Sporting Award.

Marks are collated from the cards that referees send to league president Adrian Grimshaw after all matches and the team with the best average at the end of the season wins the new strip for their club.

The highest mark this season is a maximum of ten and, apart from two teams dropping the standards, the lowest mark to date is 6.33.

Wyke Wanderers have been one of the most consistent teams in the Sporting Awards since their introduction in 2006 and have headed the Division One list for three of the last four seasons.

But Wyke will definitely not claim that award this term because last season, apart from winning the divisional prize, they were also promoted to the Premier Division and are currently second behind defending champions West Bowling in the Sporting Award for the section.

It is not always the most successful team on the field that wins the award and at the halfway stage the overall leaders in all divisions are Manningham FC, who are currently bottom of the Division One pile.

Cuedos Rangers, who won the Sporting Award in 2008-2009, are in second place in Division One.

Bradford Phoenix are top of Division 1A, while Oakworth Juniors and Stanningley Albion head Division 1B.

Bradford Moor YSA may be struggling in the lower reaches of Division 2A but they lead the way in the fair play stakes.

League leaders Whitburn Athletic are also in pole position in the Sporting Award for Division 2B but they have Beldon Sports and Delius just behind them.

In Division 3A, Cricketers Arms and TCFC are leading the way with nine points each and in Division 3B it is Aire Athletic and Salthorn in pole position.

Of the new teams in the league this season, it is a three-way tie at the top of Division Four between Bradford Phoenix, league leaders Bridge and Queen Hotel.

Stanningley Albion have always been consistent when the fair play awards are handed out, winning three divisional prizes in the past three seasons, and again lead their division this season.

There are also individual awards, one of the most coveted of which is the secretary of the year which was won last season by James Marsh of Thornton United.

The Dixie Dean award for manager of the year is currently held by Andrew Barber, who guided West Bowling to the Premier Division title, the West Riding County Sunday Cup and the League Cup last year.

Last season’s referee of the year award went to Jerry Illingworth, who took charge of the Senior Cup final between West Bowling and Buttershaw White Star.

He was also promoted to level three and is now refereeing at contributory level, while he was a previous recipient of the Stan Jackson Award for up-and-coming referees in 2005.