THE results are in and the outstanding players of 2023 can now be unveiled.
Last week we asked County Times readers to nominate the top football players from 2023 and why they deserved the accolade.
Nominations were received from across the region as football fans were keen to highlight the players who had impressed them most over the past 12 months.
We did not specify which league or level the player competed, only that he or she was worthy of being named player of the year 2023 which meant a diverse selection of nominations.
However, the best nominations were put forward by Guilsfield Football Club secretary Martin Roberts who highlighted the role of Jamie Hyne while Tregaron Turfs’ manager Steve Davies successfully nominated Siwan Richards for the women’s player of the year award.
Roberts said: “Jamie has been a great acquisition for the club.
“His work rate and goals form midfield have been an additional bonus with 17 goals in all competitions this season before the turn of the year.
“Jamie gained recognition for his efforts by winning his Welsh Cap when representing the Cymru League in the Regions Cup at the back end of 2022.
“He is by now one of our senior leaders in our young squad. “
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Hyne was thrilled but surprised to be named player of 2023.
He said: “I’m really pleased but somewhat surprised, there’s a lot of very good players around mid Wales so it’s nice to have been picked.
“I’ve been working hard on my fitness away from football in the last 12 months which has helped me, mentally more than anything.
“I feel like I’ve added consistency to my game this season which I lacked in previous seasons.”
Hyne is loving life at Clos Mytton with a top four finish in JD Cymru North the target.
“The ambition for us is always winning trophies and having a good finish in the league,” he said.
“We’ll be aiming for another top four finish which would be testament to how the club is run and the players we have.
“Obviously on a personal note, the more goals the better.
“The whole club is superb from top to bottom, the committee and staff do so much for the lads, Martin Roberts in particular.
“The gaffer Nathan Leonard does a lot for me personally too and really pushes me to improve standards, and we’ve also got a great group of lads who drive standards from within.”
Meanwhile Turfs’ manager Davies said Richards was a fitting winner of the women’s accolade following a tough year in 2022 and with unrivalled commitment to her home club.
He said: “Siwan had a tough time last season and almost quit playing due to both football and private reasons.
“She scored in May’s league cup final 3-2, an extra time defeat to Aberystwyth Town Development.
“The game which famously saw them play five or six first team players, including their captain at the time and the top scorer.
“Siwan travels home nearly every weekend from Birmingham University to Tregaron in Ceredigion.
“This season she has 15 goals, including a double hat-trick against Lampeter, four against Aberystwyth University and the match winner in a 1-0 win over Aberystwyth Town second team. Something no one has done since 2019 when they were last beaten in league or league a cup games.
“We sit top of the league and are through to the Central Wales Football Association Ladies Cup semi-final for the first time since 2019.”
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