10:45am Thursday 28th May 2009
By Ian Whiting
Defenders featured heavily in the awards night at Liversedge after a season in which the club itself were forced into a rearguard action as they lost players to clubs in higher divisions or paying bigger wages.
Sedge had to restructure the budget for the playing staff more than once throughout the campaign.
The squad that finished the season was very young and many have come through the ranks at Clayborn.
Centre back Paul Smith and sweeper Joe Hewitt were double winners at the presentation evening.
Smith was the club’s player of the season and also named as the supporters’ choice.
Hewitt was voted the committee’s player of the season and was joint winner of the players’ player of the season award.
That accolade - the one the players love to win as it is their team-mates who decide it - saw votes between Hewitt and Brook Newton split evenly.
The young player of the season was Marcus Walmsley and the gong for recognition of services to football went to someone at the opposite end of the scale. Veteran defender Craig Sugden picked up that award.
Sugden has been a superb acquisition to any of the three local clubs he has served.
He has also graced their grounds with his cultured brand of football. A centre back with great vision and the ability to make the most of it. Also a true leader showing gritty determination and scorer of crucial goals from set-pieces.
Sugden says his playing days are now over but he ended the campaign as player-coach at Liversedge.
He began his career at Eccleshill United alongside brother Mark, and the pair also played for Thackley. It was younger brother Ryan who profited most from his older siblings blazing a trail and he spent time as full-time pro and also had spells with Halifax Town and Farsley Celtic in the Conference League.
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