With the 2019/20 grassroots football season ending early this past March, the team at Football in Berkshire teamed up with PlaySport UK to host the Berkshire Football Awards. In the second year of the awards, and our first season as a club, our website was able to win its first ever award, courtesy of Martin King's Goal of the Season winner for Hype Train FC. Below we profile the awards and our win. All aboard.
PlaySport UK Berkshire Football Awards 2019/20:
Hosted on Twitter, the Football in Berkshire team presented their Berkshire Football Awards for the 2019/20 season on Friday 24th July 2020, with the winners announced online, and not in person, due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic.
In our debut season as a club, Hype Train FC were nominated for five awards in total, with the club thrilled to learn that we won the Goal of the Season Award!
Martin King's superb wonder strike against AFC Cressex in the Ascot & Fielden Charity Cup on February 8th 2020 was his first and only goal of the 2019/20 season. King's goal was our second of the match that put the team 2-0 ahead in the first-half, with the Blue and Gold going on to win the match 5-2 away from home in High Wycombe.
King's goal, which can be seen embedded below via Instagram, beat Charlie Craske (Berks County), Max Herbert (Bracknell Town), Dylan Ive (Windsor), Josh Kelly (Maidenhead united), and Mark Scott (Bracknell Town) to the award.
The entire club and its players extend our congratulations to all the other winners of the Berkshire Football Awards this season, as well as to Martin for his amazing goal. We can't wait to collect and celebrate Martin's award in person when safe to do so.
Members of the squad mob Martin King after his Goal of the Season winner against Cressex. Callum Fox-Spence (blonde, second-right) stands in shock after the strike. Photography by Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Our Other Berkshire Football Award Nominations:
In addition to Martin King's goal, the club were honoured to put be forward for a host of other awards.
Our Club Chairman and matchday Photographer, Sam Austin, was nominated for the 'Best Photo' award for a picture perfect capture of our team's celebrations in our 2-1 away win at AFC Winkfield in the EBFL League Cup.
Our club's website was also in the running for the 'Best Website or Social Media Presence' award, with the club providing a comprehensive footballing experience - an expansive social media and a fully bespoke and in-house website that provides YouTube highlights, match reports, in-depth statistics, player profiles and all other relevant club information, in addition to our other sports reporting.
Robert Austin, the Club's Owner and Manager was nominated for two awards. Austin was one of four contenders for the 'Manager of the Season' award having led the team on a few extensive cup runs in multiple competitions, as well as remaining undefeated in our league campaign in the East Berkshire Football League (Division 2 - third-tier).
Austin's work to help redevelop the East Berkshire Football League (EBFL) also saw him nominated for the 'Outstanding Contribution to Local Football' award. Joining the EBFL Committee to help improve grassroots football in the area, Austin created the league a modern logo, website and social media channels, with the intent of growing the league's reputation and promoting development for new and existing teams in the years ahead.
Thoughts from Hype Train FC General Secretary, Robert Austin:
"The 2019/20 season didn't end as anyone would have wanted it. We as a club had reached a semi-final which we didn't play, got far in Berks & Bucks FA county cup competition, whilst we were in contention to win our league title had we played more games.
These PlaySport UK BFA Awards have highlighted some great spokespeople for grassroots football and we are delighted to have been in contention for five awards and amongst those who have made a positive impact in the season just gone.
Myself and Sam Austin, as well as my management team and players, have worked really hard to produce a great first season and I think that no other club can touch us in terms of the content we produce and the hard work we all put into making this ambitious team into a reality. What we provide as a club at at a professional level and I'm so grateful for the players who have joined us on this journey - I'm sure this is the first of many awards for the club as we gear up for our second season.
I'd personally like to extend my congratulations to Martin King on his award. The goal was the best in the Berkshire region last season by an absolute country mile, that moment alone was worth the cost of our VEO camera! Aside from the goal, I couldn't speak more highly of Martin as he is a dedicated and important player for the team, hates to miss a game and always put in a good shift on the pitch as well as being a leader in the locker-room.
On a smaller note, I'm especially proud of the work that I've done since joining the East Berkshire Fooball League - missing out on that award is secondary to the great foundations put in place for the future of this grassroots football league. To be given the chance to help flip the league on its head in the space of a year, to the point that the EBFL are building for the future with a development league, shows that the social awareness brought to the league, and the commitment and hard work done by the EBFL Committee, is bearing fruits as we get more young and ambitious teams and players involved in football in the local area.
Congratulations to all the other winners and here's hoping to a safe and full 2020/21 season!"
Watch highlights of Martin King's goal against AFC Cressex:
Want to know more about The Hype Train?
The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in Fantasy sports reporting, starting with Fantasy Premier League (FPL), before expanding to MLS Fantasy coverage in 2018.
We pride ourselves in providing beautiful graphics, statistics, in-depth analytical reporting and free weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb rankings tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review games, live sport, and professional wrestling.
In 2019, Hype Train Football Club was formed, becoming the first Fantasy Football website to take to the field. HTFC is a socially active team across social and web channels, providing regular match highlights, match reports, comprehensive player statistics and unique player profiles.
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog' in 2016 by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), and were again shortlisted as a finalist in 2019 in the 'Best Fantasy Football Blog' category.
You can follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, follow Hype Train FC on Instagram, subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive content, or visit our website here at www.thehypetrain.co.uk
All aboard.
