Sean McConville won the League Two Player of the Year award at the Leesa Northwest Football Awards 2017 tonight.
McConville was up against Carlisle United midfielder Nicky Adams, Michael Rose of Morecambe and Blackpool's Kelvin Mellor.
The influential midfielder, who joined Stanley from Chester in June 2015, was praised for making 17 assists last season and scoring six goals, including a stunner in the FA Cup that had fans and commentators raving.
The Leesa Northwest Football Awards 2017 recognises those who have achieved footballing excellence both on and off the pitch in the 2016/17 season, from both the men and women's football leagues, from Conference though to Premier League.
More than 550 guests packed The Point at Emirates Old Trafford at a glitzy black-tie event, hosted by the BBC's Dan Walker.
In its tenth anniversary year, the Leesa Northwest Football Awards awarded its inaugural Impact Award to Liverpool FC's James Milner. The new award recognises the significant positive impact on football in the region and in particular James' work off the pitch, through the James Milner Foundation, which has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to help positively change the lives of many people.
One of the night's big winners was Brian Kidd, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, for his incredible career in North West football.
The 2016/17 Manager of the Year award winner was Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer for his work steadying the ship for the Seasiders and leading the club to promotion back to League One.
Daniel Taylor from The Guardian won the title of Football Journalist of the Year, for his work uncovering and reporting on football's sexual-abuse scandal – in particular Daniel's interview with Andy Woodward, which prompted many further victims to come forward with allegations involving more than 300 clubs.
The Unsung Hero was awarded posthumously to Gordon Lawton of Oldham Athletic, a club legend described as the ‘heart and soul' of the club. Gordon passed away in June aged 63.
The Fabrice Muamba Award for Outstanding Service to Football Medicine and Science award went to Dr Ian Irving, who recently retired from his role as club doctor at Everton FC, having worked alongside nine managers during his 39 year tenure.
With all of the player categories voted for by football fans, the winners were:
Player of the Year – Premier League award winner was David Silva (Manchester City)
Rising Star of the Year award winner was Phil Foden (Man City)
Player of the Year – Championship award winner was Ben Pearson (PNE)
Player of the Year – League One award winner was David Wheater (Bolton)
Player of the Year – National League award winner was Andy Cook (Tranmere)
The Fine Bedding Company Women's Player of the Year award winner was Caroline Weir (Liverpool Ladies).
Women's Rising Star of the Year award winner is Keira Walsh (Man City)
FAN TV Channel of the Year award winner was The Redmen TV.
The other awards went to:
Community Club of the Year – Premier League, award winner was Burnley FC in the Community.
Community Club of the Year – All other Leagues, award winner was Wigan Athletic Community Trust
Community Initiative of the Year, award winner was Bolton Wanderers Community Trust – Positive Chances
Kick It Out Promoting Inclusion award winner - Non-League - Cerebral Palsy United Football Club
Kick It Out Promoting Inclusion award winner – League - Everton Football Club and Everton in the Community – Positively Promoting Equality and Diversity
Business Awards went to:
Best Club Marketing, Sponsorship & Engagement award winner was Everton Football Club – 2017/18 Season Ticket Campaign – One for All/All for One.
Business and Professional Services to Football award winner was Stream AMG – Media Platform.
Laura Wolfe, managing director of Wolfesport and the Leesa Northwest Football Awards said: “The Leesa Northwest Football Awards proudly celebrates ten years of the best of football, on and off the pitch, from across the region, while remembering some incredible winners over the past ten years.
“We are proud to honour the dedicated, hard-working, talented and inspirational people from our great football clubs and those businesses that support them; we honour our heroes - some well-known and some unsung – on what is an incredible night of celebration for North West football.”