Slimbridge trio and Dursley youngster nominated in End of Season Awards
Slimbridge trio Rudi McKinnon, Ellis Parker and Will Tainton, plus Dursley Town’s Haydn Evans are the latest players nominated in the Severn Sport End of Season Awards.
Every year Severn Sport looks to recognise all of those players, managers, clubs and individuals who make grassroots football in Gloucestershire special!
Dursley man, Evans, has made nearly 40 appearances combined for the First Team and U18s side and has been nominated for the Jamie Hyett Award, alongside Young Swan, Will Tainton.
Tainton has broken the record for number of goals scored in a season in the Cheltenham Youth Floodlit League and has impressed throughout the season.
Rudi McKinnon has been nominated for Men’s Player of the Season after scoring 20 goals in 43 appearances for the Swans, whilst goalkeeper Ellis Parker has been nominated in the Kinetic Goalkeeping Goalkeeper of the Season category.
Below are the 15 categories and who has been nominated so far:
Signing of the Season – Karnell Chambers (Tuffley Rovers), George Neill (Slimbridge); Mel Hoad (Longlevens Ladies); Leah Whiffen (AEK Boco Ladies); Josh Roney (Hartpury University); Harry Emmett (Gloucester City); Jay Griffiths (Bibury)
Game of the Season
Manager of the Season – Matthew Driscoll (Cinderford Town); Dan Ray & Karen Messenger (Cirencester Town Ladies); Neil Mustoe (Tuffley Rovers); Abi Nicholas (AEK Boco Ladies); Martin Longworth (Hartpury University)
Team of the Season – Avonmouth; Cirencester Town Ladies; Longlevens Ladies: AEK Boco Ladies; Hartpury University; Rising Stars
Breakthrough Player of the Season – Connor Walters (Tuffley Rovers), Erin Read (AEK Boco Ladies); Toby Holland (Bishops Cleeve); Callum McGuirk (Tuffley Rovers); Jack Smith (Slimbridge); Harry Burns (Cirencester Town); Harry Emmett (Gloucester City); Jay Griffiths (Bibury)
Severn Sport Live Player of the Season
Match Official of the Season – Ian Butler
Kinetic Goalkeeping Goalkeeper of the Season – Stephen Sarkodie (Hartpury University); Lewis Clayton (Bishops Cleeve); Leah Whiffen (AEK Boco Ladies); Ashli Whitbury (Gloucester City Women); Ellis Parker (Slimbridge)
John Ashplant Local Hero Award
Best Social Media Account – @SWSportsNews
Jamie Hyett Award (U18s Player of the Season) – Alex Knight (Longlevens U18s), Erin Read (AEK Boco Ladies); Scarlett Boyce (Cirencester Town Ladies); Riley McGregor (Hartpury University); Liberty Ross (Gloucester City Women); Will Tainton (Slimbridge U18s); Haydn Evans (Dursley Town U18s)
Severn Sport Future Star
Men’s Player of the Season – Ethan Dunbar (Bishops Cleeve); George Neill (Slimbridge); Toby Holland (Bishops Cleeve); Karnell Chambers (Tuffley Rovers); King Baidoo (Hartpury University); Ben Baxter (Hartpury University); Rudi McKinnon (Slimbridge)
Women’s Player of the Season – Jess Titcomb (AEK Boco Ladies); Jodie Bailey (Cirencester Town Ladies); Lucy Scrannage (Cirencester Town Ladies), Libby Messenger (Cirencester Town Ladies); Lorraine Smith (Longlevens Ladies); Olivia Kosylowicz (Longlevens Ladies); Aimee Clark (AEK Boco Ladies); Zoe Gabb (Gloucester City Women Devs)
Grassroots Player of the Season – Meg Sterry (Gloucester City Women Development); Lucy Dannatt (Longlevens Ladies); Millie Lacey (AEK Boco Ladies); Mirry Smith (Gloucester City Women Development); Kate Ambrey (Gloucester City Women); Ubaid Saleh (Rising Stars)
Speaking about the latest nominees to come completely from the public nominations, Butler had this to say:
“My feelings towards Rudi McKinnon have been known for years, but he continues to be one of my favourite players to watch locally. He is an absolute superstar.
It came as no surprise to see just how many nominations he received, he is a top talent and we are lucky to have him still in our area.
But I also like Ellis Parker, not just as a player, but he is a top guy. Again, I have been lucky to know EP and Rudi for years and I am very proud to see them both enjoying football at a decent level – they deserve it!
Will has been one of the most entertaining players in the county this season, particularly in the CYFL – but he has also made 30 appearances for Sharpness in the County League – so he is producing the goods at U18s level, whilst learning the tests of Men’s football – the perfect combination.
Haydn was a player I was told about on 23 June 2023 and I know this because I still have the tweet bookmarked from Archie Evans! It said “Predicting big things from Haydn Evans next season” well, 20 appearances for Dursley Town first team and the same for the U18s side later and we have a highly rated and thought of player on our hands!”
Check back tomorrow morning when we will be announcing the next batch of nominees in this year’s End of Season Awards!
