Bennett Wins Award

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 03/03/2008

GRIMSBY'S Ryan Bennett has won the Nivea for Men Young Apprentice Award for League 2 at the 2008 Football League Awards incorporating FourFourTwo’s Top 50 Football League Players.

The 17-year-old Grimsby Town player received the award at a gala dinner at The London Hilton, Park Lane on Sunday 2nd March 2008 in front of over 800 attendees from clubs, sponsors and the football industry.

Bennett made his first team debut in April 2007, resulting in a victory against the MK Dons and has gone to on to make 21 appearances for the club’s first team since he became an apprentice. In addition, he has made numerous appearances for both Reserves and the Youth Team, and was called up for standby for England’s Under 18 international game against Ghana.

Bennett works hard to balance the demands of first team football with the education aspect of his apprenticeship. He has already successfully completed his Level 2 Coaching folder and is awaiting his practical assessment.

The judging panel for the Apprentice of the Year Award commented "Ryan is a level headed lad, who is able to balance his time between first team duties and educational requirements."

Commenting on the 2008 Football League Awards, The Football League Chairman, Lord Mawhinney, said: "For the third consecutive year, The Football League Awards has been an enormous success.

"Once again, it has given us the opportunity to recognise and reward the outstanding contributions made by fans, clubs and players to the continued growth and development of league football."

The number one spot in the FourFourTwo Top 50 Football League Players went to West Bromwich Albion striker, Kevin Phillips, followed by Andy Gray of Charlton and Michael Kightly of Wolverhampton Wanderers. The full list of The Top 50 Football League Players can be found either in the April issue of FourFourTwo which is on sale now, or on the FourFourTwo website www.fourfourtwo.com.

The Football League Awards show will be aired on Sky Sports 1 on Thursday 6th March at 8pm.

To find out more about The Football League Awards please visit www.footballleagueawards.com.

In reaching their decisions, the judges were looking not just at each player’s performance on the pitch, but also at his disciplinary record, progress in the club’s youth development scheme, and his educational achievements. The education for apprentices is managed by League Football Education - a partnership between the Football League and the PFA - delivering The Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence programme, which is funded by the Learning & Skills Council.

Nivea for Men sponsored the Young Apprentice Award at the 2008 Football League Awards. The UK’s number one male face care brand are proud sponsors of FourFourTwo’s Weekend Wonders. As part of Nivea’s ongoing commitment to amateur football, they are a newly proud sponsor of Powerleague, the champions of 5-a-side football

The full list of winners from The Football League Awards is as follows:

EA SPORTS Fan of the Year
Paul Samrah - Brighton and Hove Albion

Advance Performance Best Community Initiative - Coca-Cola League 2
Notts County - ‘On The Ball’

Advance Performance Best Community Initiative - Coca-Cola League 1
Brighton and Hove Albion - ‘RSL Football Inclusion Project’

Advance Performance Best Community Initiative - Coca-Cola Championship
Charlton Athletic - ‘Kent Social Inclusion Programme’

Perform Best Fan Marketing Campaign
Bradford City - ‘The Cheapest Season Ticket In The Football League’

ProgrammeMaster Best Matchday Programme
Bristol City - ‘Well Red’

Nivea for Men Young Apprentice Award - Coca-Cola League 2
Ryan Bennett - Grimsby Town

Nivea for Men Young Apprentice Award - Coca-Cola League 1
Daniel Broadbent - Huddersfield Town

Wickes Young Apprentice Award - Coca-Cola Championship
Mark Beevers - Sheffield Wednesday

Sports Alliance Family Club of the Year - Coca-Cola League 2
Wycombe Wanderers

Sports Alliance Family Club of the Year - Coca-Cola League 1
Huddersfield Town

Sports Alliance Family Club of the Year - Coca-Cola Championship
Norwich City

Wickes Community Club of the Year
Watford

Mitre Goal of the Year (Voting technology provided by Perform)
Jermaine Beckford - Leeds United

FourFourTwo Young Player of the Year**
Michael Kightly - Wolverhampton Wanderers

FourFourTwo Player of the Year - Coca-Cola League 2*
Keith Andrews - Milton Keynes Dons

FourFourTwo Player of the Year - Coca-Cola League 1*
Jermaine Beckford - Leeds United

FourFourTwo Player of the Year - Coca-Cola Championship*
Kevin Phillips - West Bromwich Albion

Thomas Cook Sport Contribution to League Football
Jimmy Armfield

*These awards will be presented to the highest ranked player in each division in FourFourTwo’s Top 50 Football League Players

**This award will be presented to the highest ranked young Football League player in FourFourTwo’s Top 50 Football League Players

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