IT WAS the Paul Mullin show at the Accrington Stanley Supporters Club presentation evening - as he swept the board thanks to his 20 Conference goals and his whole-hearted displays this season.
The striker was rewarded for the huge part he played as the Reds challenged for a play-off spot for most of what was a memorable season in their first as a full-time club.
There were so many twists and turns in the Conference campaign with the Reds top five hopes only dying in the final week of the season.
And, looking back, Mullin, his team-mates, the management and the fans had a lot to smile about even though they had strived to finish higher than tenth place.
Stanley were quick out of the blocks last August as they looked to fulfil chairman Eric Whalley's dream of taking the Reds back into the Football League.
The campaign opened with four wins out of the first five games with the memories of an Ian Craney wonder goal at Morecambe - which boss John Coleman voted the goal of the season - one of the early highlights.
A 5-0 loss at Stevenage was forgotten as a 4-0 victory over Crawley restored the goal difference and Stanley went joint top of the table and it was looking so good.
With Rory Prendergast out injured, in came Jody Banim but he was restricted to the bench as Mullin, Lutel James and Lee McEvilly led the early attacks.
But then it went wrong for hitman James as he turned down the chance to go on international duty for St Kitts, soon went on the transfer list and moved to Droylsden.
But the other Reds were still making their mark on the pitch and an early away boost was the 5-0 victory over Dagenham - with a Ged Brannan hat-trick - as the travel sickness which had dogged the Reds last season was put to bed.
The side went seven and a half hours without conceding a goal until Leigh RMI popped up with a late consolation.
And then the hiccups started.
The Reds were 3-1 up at Northwich until two late penalties clawed back a point for the Vics.
Gravesend, Farnborough and Tamworth then made the Reds suffer and three successive losses were a huge worry. "I am devastated," said Coleman. "We have taken one point out of 12 and we can't carry on like that."
Sandwiched in-between, however, was the LDV Vans Trophy win over Bradford with McEvilly's late late goal sending the watching fans into raptures.
The Reds got back on track in the league by beating Hereford live on Sky but the ups and downs continued with a 4-0 loss at Scarborough - with three goals coming in the first 14 minutes.
Then came one of the costliest defeats of the season with Coleman admitting he got it wrong as Leigh beat Accrington in the FA Cup stopping any repeat of the money-spinning cup heroics of the year before.
They then went out of the LDV Vans Trophy at Oldham as the rollercoaster ride continued.
"I seem to have had a few Black Octobers in my managerial career," admitted the boss.
Some fans started calling for his head but captain Peter Cavanagh pleaded for everyone to stick together - and vowed to get it right on the field as the only team running away were Barnet as the others, including the Reds, jostled for position.
The Forest Green 1-0 loss was agony as the Reds ran the show but couldn't score and they would have rather borrowed some of the goals they scored in the 6-0 hammering of struggling Leigh.
Draws and losses built up to Christmas as Accrington dropped to 11th but then they suddenly reignited their push with their New Year victory over Halifax thanks to Steve Jagielka and Ged Brannan.
And Coleman wanted home rule: "We need to win our home games now if we are to be serious play-off contenders."
But it was another year to forget in the FA Trophy as , following a Mike Flynn's dismissal - one of only a few for the Reds this season - they were thumped 4-0 at Hereford.
And a league loss to Tamworth - who celebrated the double over the Reds - was a nightmare but the blows didn't stop Stanley hovering around the play-off zone especially as they then saw off Scarborough.
The other cup competitions were still going okay - Stanley beat York in extra-time and Tamworth easily in the Conference Cup and the Marsden Trophy saw them record their second win of the season over local rivals Morecambe.
The Reds then faced a make or break February but came through the month with flying colours.
A glorious 2-1 away win at Exe ter gave everyone at the Interlink a huge boost with McEvilly scoring twice. And next came the perfomance of the season, thrashing leaders Barnet 4-1 in a stunning show. Ian Craney then had to save the day against Halifax with a late equaliser but Stanley had picked up 10 out of 12 points with Coleman winning the Manager of the Month.
However, just when it had looked so good, the inconsistencies kept creeping back as struggling teams like Forest Green continued to take points off the Reds.
David Brown and Gary Roberts were signed for the final push with 10 games left and still just six points separated the top nine sides.
But the new boys couldn't make their debuts in the Carlisle game which saw the play-off rivals win 2-0. However, the Reds once again bounced back and a win over Morecambe looked like it had left the Shrimps grounded.
Canvey were seen off and the Reds were coasting against Burton at 2-0 up but Nigel Clough's side came back to deny the Reds a vital two points.
Against York, it was vice versa as Stanley came back from 2-0 down and then it was the "lowest of the low" for Coleman as Crawley beat them 2-0 and they dropped out of the play-offs and suddenly were reliant on other results.
To add to the misery, Conference North side Stalybridge denied them a Conference Cup final spot with a penalty win.
But Coleman wouldn't let his side surrender and the spark still shone as they saw off rivals Stevenage with ease. But too many teams continued to push for the play-offs and the last gasp goal scored by Woking in controversial circumstances left Coley gutted.
"I am sickened," fumed the boss.
All of a sudden what had looked a good shout became mission impossible as the draw at home to Aldershot in the penultimate game of the season, saw any faint hopes finally die.
The goalless encounter at Hereford in the final game was insignificant - although the point gave them a LDV Vans Trophy place for next season.
And they did end the season with some silverware with the Lancashire FA Marsden Trophy to at least add a cup to the cabinet. They will, though, be hoping for bigger prizes next season.
