The Notts County Official Supporters’ Association staged their inaugural Young Player of the Season Award on Tuesday evening, with Haydn Hollis taking home the coveted trophy.
Designed specifically to honour homegrown talent that has come through the ranks here at Meadow Lane, the evening saw Hollis edge out fellow academy graduates Kyle Dixon, Curtis Thompson, Greg Tempest and Fabian Spiess to claim the award.
First team manager Shaun Derry was on hand to present Haydn with his trophy and address the supporters in attendance in an interesting and informative question and answer session.
Members of staff from the club’s youth setup were also present on the night, which was hosted by club legend Les Bradd.
The manager was keen to stress the importance of bringing players through the youth system and outlined his vision for the future, giving a unique insight to the coaching staff’s plans for the future.
Commercial Consultant Damian Irvine was also in attendance on the evening and felt that the first event by the NCFCOSA went very well, saying: “This evening gave supporters a genuinely unique opportunity to see the relationship between the players and the coaching staff and the importance that is being placed on bringing players through the right way.
“It was refreshing to hear Shaun talk so openly about his plans for the future and about his own experiences as a player who came through the ranks here at Meadow Lane.
“It is a big part of my remit at Notts to make the supporters feel more engaged with their club and so I hope that everyone who attended the evening had a great night and will spread the word about future events.”
The awards presentations were followed by a light-hearted quiz, which was won by Honorary Lifetime Vice-President John Mounteney, and a raffle.
Supporters will have another chance to hear Shaun Derry speak about his plans for the future, as well as reviewing the current season, when the club stages “That Was The Season That Was”, a look back at the current campaign, on Sunday in the Meadow Lane Sports Bar from 3pm.
Limited tickets are still available for that event, priced at £3 each, including a free drink, and can be purchased from the club shop, or through the commercial department by calling 0115 9557 241.