JAMES LEMON capped off a fantastic campaign after scooping up three awards at Droitwich Spa’s annual end of season dinner.
The 20-year old sharpshooter bagged 44 goals in all competitions last season, helping the Saltmen to their highest ever Midland League Division Two finish (third) as well clinching the Presidents Cup and the Worcestershire FA Saturday Junior Cup.
For all his efforts, the young striker – who has agreed to stay with the Saltmen for a further year, ending any speculation of a potential departure – was rewarded on Sunday night with the Special Achievement, Players’ Player of the Year, and Division Two Golden Boot awards.
The Golden Boot award goes to the player who scored the most goals in the league and MFL-only cup competitions. Lemon scored 38 in such competitions, whereas former Chelmsley Town hot-shot Chris Lloyd, who got 51 goals in all competitions including county cups, bagged only 37.
Lemon said: “I’m absolutely overwhelmed with the three awards I got given. Droitwich has had a really successful season and hopefully we can push on.
“It will be a hard task to score more than 40 goals again next season but if there are 30 games and I score 30 league goals I will be more than happy with that ratio.
“I am delighted to be staying on with Spa and the rest of the lads for another season. I don’t think I’m ready to go up to the next level yet and I’ve had plenty of discussions with the management team over the summer to see where my options were.
“I’m a year behind where I’d like to be so at the end of next season we will see where I am and where Droitwich are and go from there.”
Spa’s ever-present central defender Mike Seeley was also rewarded for his efforts throughout a remarkable 2015/16 season with the 27-year-old claiming the Supporters’ and Manager’s Player of the Year awards.
As part of a defence which conceded only 23 goals in 26 league games, Seeley expressed his thanks to the management duo of Mark Owen and Wayne Oliver as well as the fans for the support they have shown this season.
“With things up in the air at the start of the campaign with Mark and Wayne about whether I was going to be playing or not, it’s a remarkable achievement for me to have their support,” he said.
“To get voted by the supporters means a lot too as they’re the people who come down and watch us and put money into the club.
“Two pieces of silverware for Droitwich is exceptional but I’d rather win the league so we want to win the league and get promotion next season as it proves you’re the best side of the campaign and unfortunately we’ve fallen just short this time around.”
With plenty of success on the field for Droitwich, the club was also recognised for their off the field matters with league officials giving the Saltmen, for the first time ever, the MFL Hospitality Award as well as the Fair Play Award for Division Two.
Spa’s chairman Peter Lemon added: “It’s been a really great awards night and the fact there were so many runners for the awards shows just how strong the team is but the proudest award for us is the Fair Play one.
“To do what we did and be respectful to other officials and other teams, as a club, is exactly where we want to be and how we want to take the club forward.
“Mark and Owen had a clear vision of where they wanted to be in 18 months time when they joined and we’re probably nine months ahead of where we ever dreamed we could be so it’s unbelievable to see the advancements we have made in such a short period of time.
“However, we can’t be complacent next season and it’s going to be a really tough division with good teams coming in and with more teams in the constitution it means more midweek games but we’ve kept the core of our squad and we’re not looking to make wholesale changes.”
With Chelmsley Town promoted to Division One and champions Alvis Sporting Club relegated to Division Three, Spa will meet four new sides next season in Continental Star (relegated from Midland League Premier), Redditch Borough, Smithswood Firs and Leamington Hibernian, all of whom have been promoted from Division Three.
And joint-boss Owen has urged his players they need to improve on their mental strength if they wish to build upon last season’s successes.
“It’s been an amazing season. Myself and Wayne had a plan when we came into the club but in terms of silverware and performances they have gone beyond their years,” he said.
“It’s time to put the reigns on them now and be sensible as there are a lot of teams which now know how we play so we’ve got different objectives.
“We have to be able to deal with different situations now. We came up short in a few games and that’s down to a little bit of naivety.
“If we can eradicate that from our game then we’ve got a chance.”
Droitwich Spa Awards List:
Clubman of the Year – Andy Dyer
Special Achievement – James Lemon
Supporters’ Player of the Year – Mike Seeley
Players’ Player of the Year – James Lemon
Manager’s Player of the Year – Mike Seeley
MFL Golden Boot for Division Two – James Lemon
Bernard Davis Memorial Fair Play Award
Baker Joiners Hospitality Award
