Arthur Bellamy wins top award
Last updated : 01 May 2007 By Tony Scholes
 | Wade Elliott - won a number of Player of the Year awards |
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A new award was included this year, a Special Achievement Award, which came from all of the Supporters' Clubs and an overcome Arthur was the first winner. He thought he was attending the evening to make a presentation himself to Graham Branch and had no idea he was to be the recipient of such an award until details of his Burnley career were read out to the audience.
He's been player, coach, assistant manager to Brian Miller, and for the last few years groundsman at Turf Moor and then Gawthorpe. He retired earlier this month after reaching his 65th birthday. He received a long standing ovation from the audience as manager Steve Cotterill presented the award on the fans' behalf.
A clearly emotional Arthur said a few words. He said he had been proud to have been involved with the club for so long and said he had lived the dream of being a footballer for the Clarets. He thanked the supporters for the award, for supporting him over the years, and finally offered his best wishes for next season to Steve Cotterill and his players.
Arthur had been in the audience to see Wade Elliott and Michael Duff take the most awards whilst Andy Gray was the recipient of a number of goal of the season awards. With voting having been completed before last week, it was suggested to Wade that if he was going to score the goal of the season then it would have to be earlier than the last weekend in April.
There was a special award to Graham Branch in his final year as a Burnley player, presented by the Ex-Clarets in Sport on behalf of all the fans. On receiving his award Branchy thanked everyone and said his current team mates are the best he's played with.
One award not mentioned is the Powerade Worst Suit of the Evening which went to club captain Steven Caldwell. I suspect this award had been inspired by the rest of the squad. And thanks to Steve Jones who declined a raffle prize when his number was drawn out. He couldn't even be persuaded when told it was a £20 hairdressing voucher.
Below are a selection of photographs of the presentations followed by the list of award winners.
| Accrington Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | Brian Jensen |
| Goal of the Season | Andy Gray v Norwich/Preston |
| Best Signing of the Season | Steven Caldwell |
| Rossendale Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | Wade Elliott |
| Boundary Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | James O'Connor |
| Goal of the Season | Andy Gray v Preston |
| Central Lancs Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | Michael Duff |
| Young Player of the Year | Chris McCann |
| Goal of the Season | John Spicer v Birmingham |
| C.I.S.A. | |
| Player of the Year | Andy Gray |
| Burnley Football Supporters' Club | |
| Player of the Year | Michael Duff |
| Away Player of the Year | Brian Jensen |
| Goal of the Season | Steve Jones v QPR |
| Young Player of the Year | Kyle Lafferty |
| Colne Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | Wade Elliott |
| Goal of the Season | Andy Gray v Preston |
| Earby Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | Michael Duff |
| Best Newcomer | Steven Caldwell |
| North Manchester Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | Wade Elliott |
| Clarets Trust | |
| Player of the Year | Wade Elliott |
| London Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | Michael Duff |
| Shooters Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | James O'Connor |
| South West Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | Wade Elliott |
| West Yorkshire Clarets | |
| Player of the Year | Michael Duff |
| Achievement Award | Kyle Lafferty |
| Champagne Moment | Andy Gray goal v Preston |
| Combined Awards | |
| Award for Service | Graham Branch |
| Special Achievement Award | Arthur Bellamy |
