Kingfishers say goodbye to boss at awards night

Monmouth Town's Welsh League champions celebrated in style last Saturday at their annual awards at the Shire Hall, but said goodbye to their title-winning manager. The evening began with a champagne reception hosted by the new town mayor Cllr Jane Gunter and her partner Paul Macer-Wright before the 60 guests settled down under the Henry tapestry to a superb buffet crafted by local caterers Imaginative Gourmet. Kicking off the awards ceremony, club chairman Lee Robson welcomed the guests and thanked the staff of the Shire Hall and local main sponsors WyeMedia before getting on to the serious business of rewarding key players for their efforts through the season. Matthew Johns picked up both Monmouth youth team player of the year, presented by manager Simon Berry, and also the supporters' player of the season and Academy product Dan was named players' player. Andy Philpotts (Benny) picked up the chairman's award for volunteer of the year. First team supporters' player of the season was won by Dan MacDonald while Adam Davies, the town's right back, was recognised by his team mates as player of the season and also was manager Steve Jenkins' pick as player of the season. In an unexpected twist, the club also said goodbye to Jenkins, who will be moving on to the next stage in his managerial career at his home town club Merthyr Town. Robson paid tribute to Steve in his closing remarks: "All of our management team have made a huge contribution to our success this season from Tim Barnard and Mark Smith, who have been doing most of the unseen and unsung work all season, getting sponsors and arranging fixtures, to Fitz, Gareth and Smudger who have backed up Steve all season. "Steve, however, has been the difference between maybe a top four finish and actually winning the title. "I said when he accepted the job last June that it might be a question of us matching his ambition and ability and I'm pleased to say we stepped up to the mark. "We wish him all the luck in the world in his next job and thank him for helping us see what is possible." Jenkins, capped 16 times by Wales and a veteran of over 500 Football League appearances, praised the efforts of everyone at the club. "At first I wondered what I had let myself in for, but slowly and surely the team came together and every time we played I knew we would get a performance from each and every player. "When the final whistle went against Cwmbran to win the title, it was the proudest moment in my 27 years in football."

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