Derek Adams and Ross County land awards treble

Published on 24/05/2012 02:26

Ross County manager Derek Adams cut short his summer holiday in Portugal’s Algarve to attend last night’s IRN-BRU end-of-season awards dinner in Glasgow and was rewarded by picking up three honours.

Adams flew into Glasgow only yesterday afternoon and, in the evening, it was announced that he was the unanimous choice of the football media who voted him as the First Division Manager of the Season.

County’s 34-game unbeaten run in the First Division saw off the high-profile cup journeys of Falkirk and Ayr United (who both reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Communities League Cup before losing to Celtic and Kilmarnock respectively) to lift the Phenomenal Achievement of the Season. Adams’ Victoria Park squad were also named as the sponsor’s Team of the Season to complete a hat-trick for the Dingwall manager.

Striker Colin McMenamin came out on top in a vote with Partick Thistle’s Paul Cairney and Farid El Alagui of Falkirk to be named as the First Division Player of the Season, to complete a fantastic night for County.

Adams said: “I decided to come home early as I thought we would be in with a good chance of winning one of the Team Awards. To pick up three altogether and for Colin to win the top player honour has made it a fantastic night for Ross County.”

It was also a good night for Alloa Athletic, who picked up three awards, with Paul Hartley capping a fine first season in the dugout by adding the Third Division Manager of the Season to the title that his Recreation Park side won last month. Hartley, who is spending the week carrying out work towards his Uefa coaching qualifications at Largs, was again the unanimous choice of the voting panel.

The Wasps’ on-loan St Johnstone striker Stevie May defeated 20-goal Queen’s Park striker Jamie Longworth and midfield team-mate Ryan McCord to lift the Third Division Player of the Season in recognition of the part he played in Alloa’s success.

The 19-year-old’s sparkling form with the Recreation Park side also came out on top for the SFL Young Player of the Season across all three divisions when he defeated Falkirk’s Craig Sibbald and Airdrie United’s Ryan Donnelly in the voting stakes.

Cowdenbeath manager Colin Cameron was the top choice amongst the Second Division managers with Arbroath’s Paul Sheerin coming second and Alan Adamson of newly promoted Dumbarton in third place.

Airdrie United’s top marksman Ryan Donnelly was voted the best player in the Second Division, seeing off the challenge of Blue Brazil duo Jon Robertson and Lewis Coult.

Keigan Parker’s stunning overhead kick for Ayr United against Dundee in April’s 3-2 win for the Honest Men was voted as the SFL’s Goal of the Season with Dundee striker Stevie Milne’s fine goal against Hamilton in a 6-1 success in second place and Gavin Brown’s cracker for Clyde against East Stirlingshire coming in third.

Young Montrose striker Martin Boyle, who spent the last half of last season training with Aberdeen, also picked up an Award for being the top goalscorer in the SFL.