After an absence of a year, the ‘Man of the Year Awards’ return! This will be held on the new Nationals Party night of Sunday night! This is so we can all play to our best ability all weekend and then get rather merry to celebrate! The big question is how many people will be phoning in sick to work on Monday?

So here’s how the Man of Year Awards are going to work…

Each club can nominate one male for each category. Nominations to Jane Venworth, no later than Friday night of the Nationals. Nomination forms will be available at Midlands tournament and Highlanders, or alternatively from our website (I’m not sure what website this means, when I have a copy of a nomination form it will go up on this website!).

From the nominees the judges will decide the winners and runners up. Each Region can select one young lady and one mature lady as judges, with Jane having the casting vote if necessary! There will be ‘Mystery Mistress of Ceremonies’.

The categories are as follows.

1)‘Most Fanciable Foreigner’, must be an overseas player, not resident in the UK.
2)‘Party Animal’ of the year can be any age, player or supporter.
3)‘Mr. Middle Aged Crumpet’, player 35 yrs or over.
4)‘The Yummiest Young One’, player aged 16 – 18yrs old.
5)‘Most Dedicated Dad’.
6)‘Golden Girth 2006’. Who is our Biggest Boy? Nominees must be prepared to be publicly measure…around the waist!
7)‘Sexiest Male in the Saddle’.
8)‘UKPA Man of the Year’. UK senior player, the man who has it all!

So who are the likely contenders?

‘The Most Fanciable Foreigner’ is likely to be hotly contested by such men as Greg ‘Chunder Boy’ Sargeant and Shaye Williams.

‘Party Animal’ could well go to Hamish Michael, after all he was partying while waiting on us all at the Squad fundraising dinner at Doncaster (whether he should have been is a different matter).

‘Middle Aged Crumpet’ – Is Jason Burbidge over 35?

‘Yummiest Young One’ – Could well be Oscar Harding (though not if Rick’s one of the judges)

‘Most Dedicated Dad’ – Really is anyone’s guess!

‘Golden Girth’ – Could it be the mysterious Tsunami who is presently eating kebabs at Midland camp? What about Tom Simkin or Si Shearing? Plenty of time to eat before Nationals!

‘Sexiest Male in the Saddle’ – Guy Robertson and Becks both have a certain charm but so do Jason Burbidge and Hamish!

‘Man of the Year’ – Too close to call!