EVERYBODY'S doing it now. The season's over, but the Sports Editor is still barking for copy.

What do I do? That's right, cobble together the inaugural 'View from the North Stand' Annual Awards.

I'm just relieved that this season has seen incident worthy of award.

Our last outing in the Premier League was a horror show, and although we lost 23 games this time around, our vital wins were enough to keep us up.

Next season is going to be a stiffer test. We need to be competitive in the transfer market. I still think we'll be pitching our battle in the lower echelons of the division, so it's important that we keep up with the Jones' and make sure our squad is the strongest out of the bottom half of the table.

See you in August.

View From The North Stand Annual Awards

Best Moment of the Season

Staying up, simply. Despite early season optimism, it was clear soon after that merely survival was our main priority. We did it, and the last minute winner at Middlesbrough yielded the noisiest celebrations of the season.

Worst Moment of the Season

Losing 7-1 at Everton. I'd said before the match that a point would be massive, but by the end of the game that was as much a pie in the sky theory as us playing in Europe. It was clear from then on that we needed strengthening at the back.

Best goal of the season

Daryl Murphy's exocet from 25 yards against Wigan, with a 'best supporting actor' gong going to Andy Reid, who had only touched the ball four times before picking out a perfect raking ball through the Latics defence and into the path of the gangly Irishman, who spanked it in off the bar.

Player of the season

Has to be Kenwyne Jones. He's been a massive success, settling in straight away and proving to be a shrewd acquisition for Roy Keane. There are times when he drops out of games and his concentration is sometimes suspect, but he has age on his side and can only get better for us.

Best Breakthrough Act

From the pits of despair and mediocrity, Danny Collins enjoyed a season of transformation. One of the key culprits in our relegation in 2005-2006, Collins displayed maturity and tenacity in, what people often forget is his unnatural position of left-back. Sadly, it is clear that Collins is a makeshift left-back and if Sunderland are to push on to this much-vaunted 'next level', his will be one of the positions under review by the management team.

Game of the season

v Middlesbrough (H) 3-2. A great advert of open, attacking football, mixed in with a good deal of passion. We scored three good goals and Michael Chopra was on fire for us.

Worst haircut

Paul McShane's pudding bowl style, last seen covering its wearer's eyes during the 2-0 defeat down at Tottenham earlier in the season. However, even a new haircut couldn't save the former West Brom man. I dare say he'd be pants even if he was sporting an afro.

Roy Keane's quote of the season

'If a player doesn't want to come to Sunderland then all well and good. But if he decides he doesn't want to come because his wife wants to go shopping in London, then it's a sad state of affairs. It tells me the player is weak and his wife runs his life - these players are soft.' Keane's outburst about certain players who snubbed the club during the summer transfer window.

Idiot of the season

Anthony Stokes. After scoring the winner against Derby at home, Keane told the press that Stokes could be a 'top, top player in four or five years', providing he stays away from Sunderland nightspot the Glass Spider. Where did Stokes celebrate his goal that night? The Glass Spider. In a PR masterstroke, bosses at the pub promptly barred him until the end of the season.

11:06am Friday 16th May 2008

Print   Email this