THE annual Suffolk FA Awards Ceremony sponsored by McDonald’s and Ransomes Jacobsen will be staged at Portman Road.

This year’s event will take place on Tuesday, October 2nd when Ipswich Town host Middlesbrough in the Sky Bet Championship.

All the awards winners will receive their prizes at a special ceremony before being paraded on the Portman Road pitch (pictured above) prior to kick-off. The match is being televised live by Sky TV.

Among those receiving awards will be the winners of The FA and McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards. Nominations were put forward across ten different categories.

All the Suffolk winners were then put forward to be judged against other county winners, with Suffolk’s George Byrne receiving the national Match Official of the Year award.

Referee Long Service Awards will also be presented along with the Suffolk Groundsman of the Year awards.

McDonalds Franchisee Carol Rogerson said: “As a McDonalds Franchise, DDV Ltd are delighted to have the opportunity to support the Suffolk FA Awards Ceremony in 2018.

“The work done in Suffolk in grassroots football continues to grow and offers the opportunity for many people of all ages to get involved in football.

“This night gives an opportunity to recognise the great work done in the sport and highlight the time and commitment that is given in Suffolk supporting Grassroots Football.”

John Quinton, Sales Manager at Ransomes, said: “It has been a fantastic year for Suffolk football, and Ransomes is delighted to be sponsoring the awards evening again, and in particular, the Suffolk FA Groundsman of the Year award.

“Groundsmanship at grassroots level is often voluntary, and it is crucial that these individuals are supported with the correct tools and knowledge for the job.

“At Ransomes, we aim to support the groundsmanship industry, as well as our local community in Ipswich, and Suffolk more widely.”

Suffolk FA Chief Executive Richard Neal said: “Football in Suffolk doesn’t just magically happen; it’s down to hours and hours of time, energy and passion given by thousands of people fulfilling numerous roles which allow our 1500+ teams to play.

 “The Suffolk FA Grassroots Awards provide an important opportunity to recognise, reward and celebrate those who make football happen in Suffolk on a weekly basis. We’re delighted to be able to include both the Groundsman of the Year and Referee Long Service awards.

 “Together with our sponsors McDonald’s and Ransomes Jacobsen, we hope hosting this special occasion with Ipswich Town Football Club will go some small way to repaying their dedication to the game.”