BECCLES Town won two categories in The FA and McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards 2019.

The club won the Grounds Team of the Year award and the club’s Youth section the Grassroots Club of the Year award in the county awards.

Chris Brown and Shaun Soloman followed up winning the Suffolk FA Groundsman of the Year award earlier this year by adding the Grounds Team award.

Beccles Town Youth listed a new state-of-the-art 3G pitch as well as winning six Respect awards among their many achievements this year.

Daniel Hollyhead, who took over as coach/manager of Corton Pythons Under-8s when the manager suddenly left at the start of the season, won the Coach of the Year award.

Rob McMaster of Mutford & Wrentham FC, who is club secretary, cuts and marks the pitches and also took on the role of reserve team manager as well as fitting new shower cubicles, was named Volunteer of the Year.

Amber Sparkes, who plays for Needham Market Women’s FC, is in the process of completing her Level 2 coaching course and has become a Level 7 referee, won the Rising Star category.

The League of the Year award went to the Norfolk & Suffolk Youth League thanks to a whole host of improvements they implemented, while Hadleigh United’s SSE Wildcats programme won the judges’ vote in the Grassroots Project category.

All winners will go forward for judging in the national awards next month.

Suffolk FA Football Development Manager Jodie Allard said: “Thank you to everyone who nominated individuals for the 2019 FA Grassroots Awards.

“This year we received more applications than ever before which made the judging process a really enjoyable and challenging task for the panel.”

The FA Respect Awards are a great opportunity to recognise and reward our fantastic workforce of volunteers, coaches, club and league officials, referees, grounds teams and supporters across the county. 

“Well done to everyone who was nominated for these awards; the quality of applications was very high and all of the individuals nominated are doing fantastic work to support their grassroots communities. A huge well done to those who have been selected as winners for the 2018-19 season. 

“Grassroots football could not take place without the amazing work that our partners do across the county to provide positive, safe and inclusive environments for everyone involved in the game and we are pleased the Grassroots Awards can recognise some of the great work taking place in grassroots football within Suffolk.”

The winners will be invited to an Awards Ceremony at the start of the 2019-20 season to receive their prizes.

The Suffolk FA county winners were as follows:

Grassroots Coach of the Year: Winner – Daniel Hollyhead; Highly Commended – Ian Johnson.

Grounds Team of the Year: Winner – Beccles Town FC.

Grassroots Club of the Year: Winner – Beccles Town Youth; Highly Commended – Capel Plough Youth.

Volunteer of the Year: Winner – Rob McMaster; Highly Commended – Colin Herbert.

Rising Star of the Year: Winner – Amber Sparkes; Highly Commended – Amy King.

Grassroots Project of the Year: Winner – Hadleigh United FC.

Grassroots League of the Year: Winner – Norfolk & Suffolk Youth League.