Nicky Butt wins The Gaffer’s Football Personality Of The Year award

NEWCASTLE UNITED utility man Nicky Butt has been named The Gaffer’s Football Personality of the Year for 2008, capping a tremendous year on and off the pitch for the former England star.

The midfielder impressed the panel with his footballing prowess throughout the year, but was also commended for his “really great personality,” which commentators claim clinched the award from the other front-runners James Beattie and Warren Barton.

“This is a dream come true for me,” said Butt as he collected the award from host Kerry Dixon, who had been a last minute replacement for Jamie Redknapp, hospitalised earlier in the day after a Wii Bowling ‘incident’.

The judges highlighted how Butt was “really, really good” in his new role as Newcastle’s vice captain during 2008, and also ended the year in joint 14th place in OPTA’s table of midfield zone interceptions for the third year in a row.

“Nicky’s always got a smile on his face, and was a great help around the house growing up,” said proud mother Nora Butt, who put her own disappointment at not making the shortlist behind her.

Butt becomes just the second ginger to win the Award in its 40 year history, following in the footsteps of former Liverpool reserve goalkeeper Mike Hooper, who was unanimously voted “a genuinely nice man” by his Anfield colleagues in 1988.

The full list of winners:

Football Personality of the Year: Nicky Butt
People’s Choice Award: Joey Barton
Best Supporters: Those guys in turbans behind Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford
Young Player of the Year: Ashley Young (runner up: Luke Young)
Manager of the Year: Chris Hutchings
Official with the Name Most Similar to Teatime Cake Award: Mark Clattenberg (Battenberg)
The Perrier OMG ROFLZ Award: Chris Iwelumo
The Bobby Zamora Award for being Bobby Zamora: Marlon Harewood

Published January 28, 2009

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