Norwich City 2023/24 alternative end of season award winners

They may go early with the announcement like they did last season, so by the time this reaches newspaper stands and websites near you, we may well already know who is claiming the prize.

While there are strong shouts for the likes of Gabby Sara again and Angus Gunn, for me (and I know many others) that prize should belong to Kenny McLean.

While it would be fair to say Kenny hasn't produced as many eye-catching moments as his Brazilian partner in crime, player of the season should be about more than just the moments.

It should be about consistency, about leading by example and about being the player who clearly left everything on the field even in the tough times.

In 2003/04 season, the player of the season was Craig Fleming, despite Darren Huckerby claiming the majority of the headlines - for which I suspect Hucks has never forgiven Flem!

It is in this spirit that for me, Kenny got my vote and hopefully many more.

But rather than devoting yet another column to waxing lyrical about Kenny, I'm instead going to revive something I dedicated this column to a couple of seasons back - the 100pc unofficial, alternative end of season awards.

The Unsung Hero award - Ben Gibson

This is one I actually did previously award to Kenny, in 2021. Clearly with him getting my nod for the 'real' one, I can't also call him unsung.

So for me, this year it belongs to a player who has come in for a bit of unfair criticism for me - Ben Gibson.

It still jars with me that he was booed onto the pitch earlier this season. Even if this was at the change of tactics and not personnel, this was totally unacceptable.

For me, particularly in the second part of the season, the former Burnley man has been dependable, has worked as hard as anybody and has added a real level of assurance to the back line.

A lot of what he does goes unnoticed, such as his passing range and reading of the game.

Not to mention his fine recent form has come at a time when he has been going through real testing times in his personal life. Good on you, Gibbo.

The 'They All Count' award for best rubbish goal - Ashley Barnes v Middlesbrough (a)

Everybody loves a screamer, don't get me wrong, but they can't all be 40-yard belters or venomous rockets.

I don't know about you, reader, but personally, I love a rubbish goal just as much.

I'm not on about just your bog standard, routine goals - I mean actually poor ones that leave you saying "well, they all count". These are footballing art.

For me, the one that leaps out is Ashley Barnes' opener against Boro in that annoying 3-1 defeat.

Barnes timed his run perfectly onto Gabby Sara's delightful lofted through-ball but timed his volley somewhat less elegantly.

However, he was then brilliantly somehow able to convert his air kick and tumbling over combination into bundling the ball in with the other foot. C'est magnifique!

The 'Sliding Doors' award for 'what if' moment - Josh Sargent v Huddersfield (a)

I almost had this award down as worst goal of the season - although that's not to say it was a bad goal.

In charging down the keeper, winning the ball and finishing with a goal, Josh Sargent showed everything Josh Sargent is about in one moment - tenacity, hard work and end result.

However, in doing so, he also ruled himself out for a good chunk of the season - coinciding with City's downturn in form, some might say causing.

Given the night and day difference in results this season with and without the American, one has to think we wouldn't be thinking about the Wembley route to promotion.

The 'Lazarus' award for coming back from the dead - David Wagner

I can't imagine I was alone in thoroughly enjoying a fantastic moment in the actual end of season awards when David Wagner surprised fan of the season Nathan 'Westy' West with the Michelle Dack award.

When the City boss appeared unannounced, Westy took great pleasure in telling Wagner, in his spectacular dulcet regional tones, that he was "durn a gud job now".

I have to confess to this stage that I was very much in the camp of feeling Wagner's time was up earlier in the season on the back of a disastrous run of form.

However, there is no mistaking that he's turned things around and the second half of the season has been tremendous.

Villian of the season - Poopy the Pigeon

Until this past weekend, this award was pretty much nailed on for Kieran McKenna, for the frustratingly brilliant job he has had the audacity to do at Ipswich. How dare he?

Some might also argue that Jonny Howson's antics at the Riverside put him in that category, but I could never consider that Rolls Royce of a player a villain - even if he signed for Aston Villa.

I will, however, use him as a nice segue to the true winner of this prize - since Howson once rescued one of these feathered gits.

On Saturday, I noticed a camera high above my seat in the River End that in 20 years of sitting in the same seat I'd somehow never paid attention to before.

On top of this camera, there is now a pigeon's nest. You don't need a wild imagination to work out why I have nicknamed its owner 'Poopy'.

Throughout the match, my new nemesis perched on this nest, its posterior ominously hanging over the end.

No fewer than three times did this winged scoundrel give me a much-unwanted splattering during the Bristol City game - which we didn't even win. And I  thought this was supposed to be a sign of good luck!