Maguire wins Supporters Club award
Thursday, 10 April 2014
Dan Maguire has been voted the Blyth Spartans Official Supporters Club Player of the Year for the 2013/14 season. In doing so the striker becomes the first Spartan since Steve Pyle in 1995 to win the award both twice and in consecutive years.
It's been a landmark season for Maguire as he has notched up several notable achievements. After scoring his first goal of the season in the first home fixture against Trafford he has gone on to plunder twenty six goals, all of which have been in open play. He became the first Spartan to score twenty goals in a season since Paul Brayson in 2010/11 and also smashed his first ever hat-trick for the club in the 6-2 hammering of Stafford Rangers at Croft Park in January.
However goalscoring isn't the only aspect of Maguire's game that has been on display this season. He has managed to create nineteen goals for his team mates, the highest amount of assists in the squad this campaign.
His form saw Maguire gather many admirers and led to a trial with SkyBet League One side Oldham Athletic and alongside six of his Spartans team mates he was called up to an England "C" Representative squad to face a Northern League XI last month.
Supporters Club Chairman Iain Charlesworth commented "This award is recognition of a season of constant improvement for Dan. He has given us some great memories this season and we are sure there is so much more to come from him in the famous green and white"
He also revealed his delight at the amount of supporters who voted and felt utilising an online voting system for the first time helped increase the level of interest. "We were delighted with the level of interest from the Green Army both at Croft Park and of course online. We were eager to give supporters from around the country a chance to take part. There was a good spread of votes and I think that's recognition of just how well the team have played this season and the job that Tom Wade and his coaches have done"
Maguire won with 39% of the total votes but it was far from a one horse race with Nathan Buddle and Robbie Dale pushing him all the way. The award will be presented before Spartans final home game of the season against Whitby Town, which is currently scheduled for Monday 21st April.