Pitching In Southern Football League Presentation Evening

The Chesford Grange in Kenilworth was a fitting venue for a splendid evening that celebrated the 2021/22 Pitching In Southern Football League season.

There were special guests including Laurence Jones from the Football Association, Kellie Discipline from the Isthmian League and representatives of several league sponsors, including PST Sport, the Entain Group, Hereward Sports & Leisure and the Frank Whittle Partnership.

In between courses, awards were presented beginning with the Fair Play Awards, sponsored by the Frank Whittle Partnership.

The Premier Division Central award went to AFC Rushden & Diamonds with 200 (fewest) points.

The Premier Division South recipients were Yate Town, who recorded 214 points.

The Division One Central award went to Aylesbury United with 210 points, while Cirencester Town won the Division One South award and also the overall trophy with 164 points.

The Respect Awards came next, sponsored by Hereward Sports & Leisure.

The Premier Division Central winners were Needham Market with 730 (most) points.

The Premier Division South trophy went to Dorchester Town with 779 points – which also earned them the overall award as well.

In Division One Central, Hertford Town were the winners with 695 points, and the Division One South winners were AFC Totton with 648 points.

The Merit Cup for most goals scored, sponsored by the Frank Whittle Partnership, was won jointly by Premier Division South club Hayes & Yeading United and Division One Central champions Bedford Town, who both scored a century of goals.

After the main course came the league’s leading goalscorers awards which were claimed by Rene Howe of Division One Central side Bedford Town and Leighton Thomas of Division One South side Paulton Rovers – both with 27 goals – and Ben Stephens of Premier Division Central outfit Barwell with 24 goals and Moses Emmanuel of Premier Division South side Hayes & Yeading United with 35.

The awards ceremony finished with the respective divisional champions, runners-up and play-off winners receiving their trophies and ended with Premier Division Central winners Banbury United being presented with the giant Champions Shield, first presented to Millwall back in 1895, as they had a better points-per-game record than Premier Division South winners Taunton Town.

It was also the end of Terry Barratt’s highly successful six-year spell as League Chairman.

He has passed the baton into the very capable hands of Anthony Hughes, with David Martin as Vice-Chairman.