It's time to vote for your Cobblers player of the year

It's been a long, hard and mixed campaign, but now is the chance for Cobblers supporters to choose their Chronicle & Echo player of the year for the 2016/17 season.
John-Joe O'Toole was named the Chronicle & Echo Cobblers supporters' player of the year last seasaon (PIcture: Pete Norton)John-Joe O'Toole was named the Chronicle & Echo Cobblers supporters' player of the year last seasaon (PIcture: Pete Norton)
John-Joe O'Toole was named the Chronicle & Echo Cobblers supporters' player of the year last seasaon (PIcture: Pete Norton)

Having stepped up a level after claiming the Sky Bet League Two title last April, the Cobblers have battled hard to secure their status in the third tier of English football, and following Easter Monday’s 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury Town, they are almost there.

There have been highs and lows along the way, and a change of manager mid-season with Rob Page being replaced by Justin Edinburgh.

The team began the campaign well, and at one point were as high as fifth in the table, but it has been a case of ensuring safety for the second half of the season, and under Edinburgh the team now looks to have done enough.

Despite some mixed results over the past nine months, there has also been plenty to smile about and a lot of strong contributions from individuals throughout.

In goal, Adam Smith has returned to something like his best form in the second half of the season, while in defence, Zander Diamond and Dave Buchanan have been the models of consistency, with both players rarely putting a foot wrong

Gaby Zakuani has suffered with injuries, and has also missed a few games due to international commitments, but when he has put on the shirt he has never let anybody down, and the same can be said for Lewin Nyatanga who has been an ever-present since the late autumn.

Another player whose season has been hampered by injury is right-back Brendan Moloney, but whenever he has played he has shown what a class act he is, while Aaron Phillips has been a more than capable understudy when he has been called upon.

In midfield, last season’s award winner John-Joe O’Toole has been a strong performer and scored 12 goals, many of them crucial, while Matt Taylor has been a consistent player and created havoc with his dead-ball delivery, scoring eight times in the process.

Paul Anderson has quietly and efficiently gone about his business, scoring seven goals from the flanks, while prior to his unfortunate knee injury, Sam Hoskins was really hitting his straps as an attacking force.

Up top, there is bags of experience between Marc Richards and Alex Revell, and they have both scored goals.

Richards is the club’s top-scorer after taking his tally to 13 with his crucial header against the Shrews on Monday, while Revell was outstanding early on, scoring eight goals in his first 15 games for the club, including one in the League Cup clash with footballing giants Manchester United.

Revell has scored 10 times in all, but frustratingly for him he has barely featured in 2017 after suffering a calf muscle injury at MK Dons in January.

These are just a few of the players that have done their bit over the campaign, and your favourite may or may not have been mentioned, but as is always the chase, the choice of who will be named the Cobblers player of the year 2017 lies with you, the club’s supporters.

To cast your vote for your winner couldn’t be easier.

All you need to do is email us your choice for the player of the year, and the player with the most votes wins.

The register your vote, please title your email ‘Cobblers player of the year’ and send it to [email protected]

Voting is restricted to one per person, and the closing date is 6pm next Tuesday (April 25).

So get voting to do your bit to make your choice the player of the year for 2016/17.

The presentation of the award will be made at the club’s end-of-season dinner at the County Ground on Sunday, April 30.