Page 4 - Deal Round Up July 2019

The NLPs National
Games Awards
(Here are a few of the
recipients)

THE NLP’s National Game Awards were presented recently and, as always, we
need the very people who make these levels of Non-League football to have their say.
Sponsored by Buildbase, the NGAs aim to celebrate the great and good of this season with awards
for players, clubs and supporters.
Buildbase National Game Awards: William Hill Fan of the Year – Matt Allcock
A Kings Langley fan has been posthumously
recognised as the best supporter in Non-League
football.
Matt Allcock was voted the William Hill Fan of the
Year at The National Game Awards. The 46-year-
old collapsed and died in January just hours after
attending the Southern League club’s league
fixture at Weymouth.
Matt’s prize was collected by best friend Stuart
Waggett, brother Daniel Allcock and club
committee member Danny Perman at Chelsea.
“For us as a family and to the club this means an awful lot,” Allcock said. “It has been a very difficult
few months. This is a recognition of Matt’s infectious personality and how much people loved him.
“We have had all kinds of support from other teams in Non-League. It’s been brilliant and wonderful
as part of the whole Non-League experience even though it’s been a terrible series of events. The
way everyone has come together has made it easier.”
Waggett added: “Matt used to follow Watford but got disheartened with modern football. He went
down to Kings Langley – a local village team – and just loved every part of it. He loved the players
and sense of community around the club. He got more and more people down to watch them. He
was a good guy with our fans but also with away teams and their supporters as well.”
Kings Langley honoured Matt at their fixture with Staines Town just days after he died. The
scoreboard at the Sadiku Stadium read 1972- 2019 to honour Matt while the crowd chanted “There’s
only one Matty Allcock” during the game.
The club’s players also wore special shirts to honour their number one fan as they warmed up for
the match, which they went on to win 3-1 in his honour. Kings Langley finished the season in sixth in
the Southern League Premier Division South, just outside the play-off places. And despite Waggett’s
club not getting the promotion he, and Matt, craved, he has seen the true community spirit in Non-
League football since his best friend’s passing. Supporters from clubs across the country chipped in
as more than £10,000 was crowdfunded for Matt’s family following his passing.
“I’ve been watching Non-League for three years now and everywhere you go it’s phenomenal,”
said Waggett. Every club and supporter across the country, all the volunteers, just make it brilliant.
Everyone probably has a person like Matt at their club.”
Buildbase National Game Awards 2019: Buildbase Unsung Hero – Leigh Page
Non-League football would cease to exist without volunteers, in the eyes of St Albans City club
secretary Leigh Page and having dedicated 30 years to the cause for a side he has supported since
childhood, Page’s hard work has now been recognised with the Unsung Hero prize at The National
Game Awards. His love for the club, which he credits as being part of his extended family, is his
motivation for dedicating his life to helping in the running of it and sees him carry out a myriad of
various jobs.
Although receiving the award at Stamford Bridge filled him with immense pride, Page insisted the
award was not just for himself but for the plethora of other volunteers throughout the Non-League
family who follow in his footsteps.
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