Source: Daily_Mail
NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Nolan's gong is reward for Newcastle's top season
It is a players' award which does not quite carry the national prestige and certainly not the historic value of the PFA or the Football Writers prizes.[LNB]But the FourFourTwo/Coca-Cola Football League player of the year accolade, handed to Newcastle's Kevin Nolan at a gala dinner on Sunday night, was a significant and deserved recognition for Chris Hughton and his whole squad and for a player whose goals and attitude have helped the club steer back towards the promised land of the Barclays Premier League.[LNB] Deserved award: Newcastle star Kevin Nolan was named the FourFourTwo Player of the Year on Sunday[LNB]It was while the club and dressing room were in disarray during pre-season - a situation which became all too public when they were thrashed at Leyton Orient in July - that Nolan and senior team-mates like Nicky Butt, Alan Smith and Steve Harper moved to help caretaker boss Chris Hughton and his assistant Colin Calderwood.[LNB] More from Colin Young... NORTHERN EXPOSURE: It's North East derby weekend09/03/10 NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Real Madrid, Bayern, Barcelona and... Newcastle!04/03/10 COLIN YOUNG: Adam Johnson story a shining example to youngsters23/02/10 NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Gibson warns of cost of Boro's failed Euro dream16/02/10 NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Genius like Kevin Phillips is hard to find - but Darren Bent deserves a place at the World Cup 09/02/10 NORTHERN EXPOSURE: The old Bhoys network at Middlesbrough could finally shatter the myth that Celtic could dominate English football 02/02/10 NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Adam Johnson's departure - even for £6m - would be a major blow to a Boro side struggling to keep up with the pace setters28/01/10 NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Southgate stays calm as Gibson sticks the boot in19/01/10 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE Think back and these two had been handed the unenviable task of succeeding Alan Shearer - uncertain on a daily basis how long they would have the task.[LNB]Players were being sold; players who weren't being sold had no idea if they would be sold; players who wanted to be sold had no idea if they would be sold or if the club would even allow them to be sold and if they did allow them to be sold who would buy them.[LNB]Nolan wanted to stay. He was signed by Joe Kinnear but struggled to match the form at Bolton which had brought him to the verge of an England call-up. He was also on the radar of the Republic of Ireland, for whom he still qualifies.[LNB]He says he had no intention of quitting the club. The pain of relegation, and that final day defeat at Aston Villa, was too fresh to just walk away.[LNB]'What happened to us last year hurt a few of us and there were a lot of lads in our dressing room with broken hearts and it knocked their pride,' he told the Grosvenor Park audience.[LNB]'Everyone knows Chris and he has been absolutely fantastic this season. No one knew what was going on in pre-season. We didn't have a manager but him, Colin and Paul Barron and all the support staff were fantastic, they didn't take their eye off the ball.[LNB]On fire: Nolan celebrates after scoring against Crystal Palace earlier this season[LNB]'They didn't know if they were in a job from one day to the next, wedidn't know if we were going to get a new manager but we stuck togetherand made it our main aim to get Newcastle back where they belong again.[LNB]'I had unfinished business. I'd only been at the club for six months, and missed a chunk of games, so I wanted to repay the fans.[LNB]'I want to make sure that when I do eventually leave Newcastle, the fans can't say I jumped ship. I want to come back in 10 years and be warmly accepted by the people.'[LNB]His 12 league goals have helped Newcastle maintain their top spot position. He has been a vital component in the solid and creative midfield which has ripped sides apart in the Championship.[LNB]It was Nolan who started the move for Peter Lovenkrands' derby opener at the Riverside on Saturday, ably assisted by Jonas Gutierrez's sublime pass.[LNB]They sit nine points ahead of Nottingham Forest with a game in hand. It is fair to say the Newcastle board would not be presumptuous to start planning for a top flight return now. Beat Scunthorpe on Wednesday and see off Forest at home next week and the job is almost done.[LNB]Nolan has trod the diplomatic line well. His performances have won hero status at St James's Park and he has been careful in proclaiming his support for the unpopular club hierarchy, hoping to work as a conduit to prevent the warring factions harming the promotion charge.[LNB]The former Bolton captain certainly seems to believe owner Mike Ashley may be considering a continuation of his reign at the club.[LNB] Making his point: Chris Hughton has expertly guided Newcastle back to the verge of a return to the Premier League[LNB]He added: 'We wanted to do something this season which unified us and made us a team which is going to be stronger and get out of this league and into the Premier League and make us better prepared for it.[LNB]'The main aim for us was getting the fans on side because we have a great support staff, Mike (Ashley) and Derek (Llambias) are starting to win the fans over bit by bit and game by game and hopefully if we do get promotion from now to the end of the season, it is going to be fantastic.[LNB]'When I first joined Newcastle, there was a lack of togetherness between the players and the fans but one of the best things to happen this season is that we've got them back on board.[LNB]'We're now looking to the future together and we have to make sure that what's happened to this fantastic club never happens again.'[LNB]Finally, just a note of congratulations to Unibond Premier League side Durham City who finally won a game at FC United of Manchester on Saturday.[LNB]Caretaker boss Richard Ord had said his one hope, and 28 consecutive defeats for the beleagured, hapless, cash-strapped bunch of students was they would win at least one point. Well, after months of disappointment they finally have.[LNB] [LNB]
