Player of the Year – Adam Jackson (7.11)

I always find it interesting to see how your ratings reflect the general consensus at the end of the season. Of the eligible players, the five behind Adam were Ben House (6.73), Sean Roughan (6.75), Regan Poole (6.89), Carl Rushworth (6.89) and Paudie O’Connor (6.91). Ethan Erhahon, with too few matches to be considered, is rated at 7.50 and is a huge source of excitement for next season. However, your winner is Adam Jackson.

He played fewer matches than some of the players and missed a couple of the more troubling games, which ensured his rating wasn’t dragged down. For instance, he didn’t either didn’t appear, or came on after 75 minutes, against Peterborough (0-4), Cambridge (0-2), Chippenham (0-1), Shrewsbury (0-1), Charlton (1-2) or Morecambe (2-3). I find that interesting – was it a coincidence he missed the games we lost and saw his rating protected as a result, or did we lose those games, partly, because he wasn’t in the team? He also shone in big matches against Sheff Weds, Ipswich, Barnsley, Derby and Plymouth, games that mattered hugely.

I’d checked these numbers before yesterday’s game and had an inkling he’d be winning the award, and that made the announcement about his contract even sweeter; I’m delighted for Adam that your numbers, your opinions collected not at the end of the season, but game-by-game, have recognised his solid and stoic input into our strong finish. Here’s to two more years of one of my favourite Lincoln City players of the past couple of years.