The results are in, and here are the winners of the Internet Player and Young Player of the Year awards, plus your choice of 'Goal of the Season'. The winners received their awards from supporters on the pitch before the final game of the season, at home to Boston on 3rd May.
We invited you to name your Internet Player of the Year, the Young Player of the Year, and your Goal of the Season. Hundreds of votes rolled in - taking a certain webmistress an evening to count them all! - but it soon became apparent that there were clear winners in all categories.
So without further ado, the Internet Player of the Year, with almost 60% of the votes, is. (drum roll). Dave Kitson!
The flame-haired striker became the fastest-ever U's player to reach 20 goals in a season and his tally before today's game is 25 in all competitions, bringing him to within two goals of equalling David Crown's record from 1985-86. Every player in the squad received votes, and the runners-up to Dave were Shaun Marshall (2nd) and Stev Angus (3rd).
Dave Kitson receives the award from Mark Johnson and Andrew Bennett
Told of the result of the poll and asked to sum up the 23-year-old's progress this season, manager John Taylor commented, "Goals speak for themselves and we all know how much we love a goal scorer. We've been an attacking force for most of the season and David has been there or thereabouts when required to do one of the hardest things in football, which is to put the ball in the back of the net.
"He's done that very well indeed and hopefully, by the time people are reading this, he might just have nicked two or three on Saturday to get closer to that record.
"He's been first class for me. We know he's had some indifferent games but he's still a very young player in terms of professional football, so to score 25 goals has been a magnificent achievement for the boy. I'm delighted for him - not only as his manager but as a fellow striker - and it's a wonderful achievement."
There is also a clear winner of the Internet Young Player of the Year award - Shane Tudor - and the runners-up are Adam Tann (2nd) and Luke Guttridge (3rd).
Shane Tudor receives the award from supporters Scott Conway and Steve Bodell
Although the winger's season was curtailed by hamstring problems, Shane polled over 60% of the votes and John Taylor commented, "He's been fantastic. With his energy and enthusiasm, and his goals, he's been an infectious part of the side as well.
"There's no question that we've missed him when he's been injured - I'm not saying that has been the one and over-riding factor - but it certainly has played a part. Now we've hopefully got his injury sorted out once and for all, he'll come back better and stronger for next season.
"His raids down that right hand side at times have been just what we required. We want to play with power and strength and pace and he gives us all of those. I'm delighted for him that he's achieved such a lot in his first full season and in such a short space of time. Barring his injury, he would probably have got 15-20 goals too, and for a winger that is a phenomenal strike rate, so I'm delighted for him."
One of Shane's eleven goals is the overall winner in the Goal of the Season voting. 22 goals were nominated, six of them scored by Tudor, and the favourite was the goal he volleyed against Rochdale before immediately limping off with the hamstring injury that ended his season.
Shane receives his second award from Dan Smith and Andrea Thrussell
The runners-up were John Turner's stunning debut goal against Exeter City last month, and Tudor's waist-high volley against Oxford in October.
Recalling the winning goal, John Taylor commented, "It was a phenomenal strike, right to the far post. I think it just bobbled around and Mr Tudor doesn't need a second invitation; he walloped it with all his might and it was a fantastic goal and worthy to win any goal of the season competition.
"I just wish in hindsight that he hadn't hit it quite so hard!"
Congratulations to everyone mentioned, and thanks to all who voted.
Andrea Thrussell
Website Manager
www.cambridge-united.co.uk
An edited version of this article was published in the programme for the match against Boston United on Saturday 3rd May 2003.
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Previous Featured Players:
22May03 - Alex Revell
08May03 - Shaun Marshall
14Apr03 - Ezomo 'Izzy' Iriekpen
20Mar03 - Terry Fleming
13Mar03 - David Bridges
06Mar03 - Dave Kitson
24Feb03 - Martin Brennan
14Feb03 - Fred Murray
06Feb03 - Stephen Jordan
23Jan03 - Paul Wanless
16Jan03 - Luke Guttridge
09Jan03 - Omer Riza
01Jan03 - Stev Angus
17Dec02 - Jonathan Heathcote
04Dec02 - Franco Nacca
21Nov02 - Warren Goodhind
11Nov02 - Adam Tann
04Nov02 - Daniel Chillingworth
28Oct02 - Shane Tudor
21Oct02 - Phil Warner
09Oct02 - Dave Kitson
30Sep02 - Andy Duncan
18Sep02 - Shaun Marshall
17Jul02 - Jonathan Heathcote
21Apr02 - Your Players of the Year
07Apr02 - Danny Jackman
31Mar02 - Terry Fleming
24Mar02 - Five Star Youth - next season's new pros
17Mar02 - Neil Mustoe
10Mar02 - Tony Scully
03Mar02 - Shaun Marshall
24Feb02 - Fred Murray
17Feb02 - John Taylor
10Feb02 - Andy Duncan
03Feb02 - Ian Ashbee
27Jan02 - Dave Kitson
20Jan02 - Shane Tudor
13Jan02 - Daniel Chillingworth
06Jan02 - Stev Angus
17Dec01 - Adam Butterworth
09Dec01 - Demba Traore
25Nov01 - Dean Walling
11Nov01 - Warren Goodhind
03Nov01 - Richard Prokas
26Oct01 - Adam Tann
19Oct01 - Alex Revell
12Oct01 - Paul Wanless
26Sep01 - Tom Youngs
17Sep01 - Luke Guttridge
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