Well there's only five games left so I think its about time we got people's views on who should be the player of the year? For me the player that should be the winner by a country mile. He's saved us so many times this season I honestly wouldn't like to count. The fact that he's had to play behind such a terrible defence makes his job even harder and I don't think he's done us any wrong at all this season. For me it has to be Stuart Nelson, 2nd I would give to Cody McDonald and third probably Kedwell as he played for the team and never gave up even during our worst times of the season. Special mentions for Bayo's performances from January and Dack who's proving even more valuable to the team. Young player of the year? Easy, Jake Hessenthaler. Most improved player? Steven Gregory.
PotY Nelson YPotY Hessy Most improved? Barrett ok nah seriously now...Jack Payne...oops no hang on, slight oversight there...how about Davies instead...ok, ok I'll play properly now...no one, unless I can give it to Charlie Lee for his improved discipline...if that don't count then give to Dack...I know, I know but he deserves an award. ps. The Gills PegLeg...Gregory!...you on the wine mate?
The trouble with these things is that judgements are made on the last few weeks rather than over the full season. If it was based on the first half of the season the award should have gone to Kedwell by a mile especially for soldiering on when handicapped by injury. He has missed too much to qualify now so there is little competition other than Nelson. I reckon Pegleg's other comments are about right (yes Gregory really has become an automatic choice) so Pegleg deserves the not606er of the year award.
Player of the year is clearly Nelson, i just hope we offer a sensible contract to him because how he's played behind that defence this year is beyond me. 2nd place to Cody, 3rd to Bayo for his overall contribution. If we stay up, it will be down to these 3 players. Young player: Harriman, people forget he's only 20 and has played the whole season and very well, our most outstanding defender by far (admittedly accompanied by 2 poor centre halfs) Hess has been great, but for a handful of games, the award is for the season. Most Improved: Well this is tough, personally i think everyone has gone down hill and Gregory is just as useless as when he first arrived, i think the arrival of Hess has shown up Gregory even more given he is 10 years younger and does a much mature and generally better job than him in the same position. If i had to pick one, i'd go with Kedwell who's performances have been better this season than last, that's the criteria isn't it?! If not then Bradley as he has continued to improve this season.
Player of the year for me is between Nelson and Gregory. If Kedwell had not have got injured and been out for a while then he would have been in with a chance and may have got my vote but I think he is third. I would say Gregory should win as he has been so much better and is improving all the time, I know that the improvement started last season so its not just that he is most improved as I feel that he was already showing signs of improvement last season and he just started the season slowly and is now much better and is getting used to League one. Nelson is second for me but it is close between him and Gregory with Kedwell third or Cody McDonald as he has improved after a slow start to the season. 1. Gregory 2. Nelson 3. Kedwell/ McDonald Young player of the year is between Harriman, Dack and Hessenthaler. I think Harriman has played really well this season and we would have struggled if he hadn't have come in to cover for Fish however I feel that his form has dropped a bit of late and he has put in a few poor performances but that does not mean he is not in with a chance of winning this but I think he will come second as I think Dack is young player of the year due to how he has continued to grow as a player to become a top player, Hessenthaler is third for me as he has not played enough games yet however I am sure he will continue to improve and will be in with a chance of winning young player of the year next season. 1. Dack 2. Harriman 3. Hessenthaler The most improved player is tough as a lot would say Gregory even though there are many who don't rate him (I don't see why as he is a brilliant player and I did say from the start that there was something about him that I felt he would become a good player) although he did not show that until the latter part of last season I just knew he would become a good player and I feel he is one of the first players on the team sheet so he is possibly most improved as although I rated him end of last season he wasn't first player on the team sheet but I think now he picks himself as we can't afford not to play him as he does his job so well and is one of them players who you don't realize how good they are until they are not playing as he holds midfield together well and is getting much better at his passing although the odd pass may go astray but then again if anyone else makes a bad pass people don't go berating them for it. I think he gets a bad deal from the fans due to how badly he started and how it took him time to adjust to playing for us but now I feel he is a very good player and someone we can build around as some forget he is still young and learning and will get better and better over the years so someone we need to give a new contract to as we would miss him if he left us. I think I have answered this one as Gregory has improved a lot however he was already good before this season, I just feel he has taken his quality to the next level.
Nelson wins it hands down for me, Gregory had had a solid season but he's not had a big enough impact to win the award. I'd probably have him in third with Harriman in second. If there was an award for most improved player then that's Gregory's in my opinion. Young player of the year for me is Jake Hessenthaler with Hewitt second and Dack third. I expect Dack to be in with a shout of player of the year next year providing we stay up and have a clearout of players.
Listen, do people actually go to the matches on here?! I've only missed 6 games home and away all season, therefore unfortunately seen a hell of a lot of Gregory and certainly enough to know he is simply not good enough. I appreciate the position he tries to play, i played there and still do myself, so i understand the unsung hero roll, but he is not an unsug hero, he's a buffoon who gives the ball away over half the time he gets it. Absolutely crazy to suggest that he has been as integral as Nelson, Mcdonald, Bayo or even Kedwell this season.
I have to agree, he hasn't been anywhere near as consistent of the others and still makes mistakes and certainly nowhere near good enough for player of the year. I voted him most improved player as he has got better this season under Taylor. He now resembles something that looks like a professional footballer as opposed to whatever profession he was last season.
I have to agree about Gregory he's as bad as the other one we had, what was his name Payne that's it loads said what a poor player he was and they were right weren't they. Opinion is a funny old thing.
I'm clearly missing something with Gregory and must pay more observation to him. When The Gills PegLeg listed him as most improved player, I just found that hard to gauge but then to see Hoadie listing him as Player of Year, I'm completely dismayed. Picking upon grumpygit's last point, I watched Payne at Posh and he played as though he was a regular first team name, which he is not, but he was far better than anything we had on display with Hessy sitting on the bench. Apart from Dack putting in his usual good effort. Personally Gregory would not get near my starting team sheet but i'm sure some would say that judgement is completely wrong.
How can anyone pick McDonald? He has been an abject failure so the majority of the season, ok he had a purple patch in the new year but for the supposed striker he hasn't scored enough goals... FAILURE!!
Sorry BSG I feel that you are being too harsh on Cody Mac. His strike rate in relation to time on the pitch is reasonable. Couple that with the service level that is providedâ¦â¦.. He and Bayo make a reasonable partnershipâ¦â¦unfortunately with the midfield performing the way it is and the defence leaking goals the way it is â¦.an uphill task will always be the nature of the beast. It is a bit like berating a decent car because it keeps crashing due to the ineptitude of the driver. Within the team there are not many names that would spring to mind as league one first teamers but in my (subjective) opinion Cody Mac is one of them. A total restructuring of the side is necessaryâ¦â¦.starting from the defence and working forwardâ¦..there are a few teams that would like to have Cody in their line up. He and Bayo are now no worse a partnership than they were a couple of years agoâ¦.however a higher league with a vastly inferior back line makes life tough. Ablect failureâ¦â¦..no way. Jewel in the dross⦠more likely. We will do well to hold on to him next season.
Cody Mac a failure, good one BSG! 14 goals in Legue 1 in a team near the bottom of the league, yes he's missed some chances but noweher near as many as the first time he was here. Even in games (like saturday) where he is played out of position he still works hard and creates for the team, he's the first one to come to the away fans when we win or lose, i distintly remember him holding up his hands in apology after the Colchester game and he recenlty got fined for checking our rivals half time scores on his phone in the dressing room, this guy cares. Allen used him incorectly, and so does Taylor when he insists on tinkering with the team in bizarre fashions. He continues to be our biggest goal threat therefore in my opinion we should build a team around him.
I know he won't win it but Bayo deserves a mention in this discussion, when we signed him I don't think anyone really thought he would be as effective as he has been or chip in with as many goals. In regard to the Cody failure topic, I would agree that his goals do seem to come in a small cluster but he work rate and commitment make him a useful player to have on the pitch even if he isn't scoring.
Steven Gregory has had a solid season for me, he's not the best defensive midfielder we've had in the last few years (David Wright is) but he does the job to a decent standard. After a terrible start for him against Wycombe last year I noticed a change in his performances in the final two home games last season against Torquay and Wimbledon. He has since kicked on and like I said had a solid season. I still rate Linganzi higher but there's no way he could be in the running after all the injuries he's had. However in fairness to those who don't rate Gregory it doesn't half anger me when I see people on Twitter, Facebook or any forum say that basically if you don't rate Gregory you know nothing about the defensive midfielder's role.
You know feelings on Cody brb, I don't rate him even when sober. Stats time: This season Kedwell has played 28 scored 10 (0.35 goals per game), Cody played 43 scored 14 (0.32 per game), Bayo played 33 (of which only 15 have been starts) scored 10 (0.30) So Cody is the second most "prolific" striker this season behind a man probably on half his wages and only just ahead of a player who can only play 45minutes a week.... yup that is success
If you want to use the stats game to decide on our best striker it's Bayo by a country mile. Bayo has scored every 136.53 minutes of pitch time.... Kedwell has scored every 191.88 minutes of pitch time....Cody has scored every 202.95 minutes of pitch time. Plus Bayo has 4 assists compared to 1 assist for both Kedwell and Cody.
