The Everton manager delighted to receive FWA North Tribute Award
David Moyes was in fine form as he received the FWA North’s Tribute Award at our Manager Awards night in Manchester on Sunday evening.
Moyes was guest of honour as we celebrated his achievements, including winning the UEFA Conference League with West Ham and completing over 1200 games as a manager, at Preston North End, Everton, Manchester United and the Hammers.
He also referenced his time in charge of Real Sociedad in Spain as an example of his willingness to explore new pastures and pave the way for other British managers and coaches to work overseas.
Praising his relationship with the FWA, and especially football writers from the North West, he said: “I’d like to say a big thankyou to the North West’s writers. I have been coming to this dinner for a long time, brought along when I was a young coach, mainly by Sir Alex (Ferguson) and big Sam (Allardyce). They had a huge influence on so many young managers then, and we have a few here tonight. In the past we would have to drag the young managers here, because you have to understand the importance of the journalists and writers. If you don’t it becomes very difficult as they go along in management.
“Throughout my career I have always felt it was important to have the best relationship you can with journalists, and over the years I’ve got to know so many, become good friends with lots of them, and see it as a big part of the job.
“We as managers need the journalists at times, and they also need what we’ve got.
“So I have to say thanks to the journalists. It has not always been fun, not always been great news all the time, but that is the way it has to work. But overall it’s a big thankyou to the sportswriters in the North West, which is a special area for football.”
While Moyes was the most long-standing Premier League manager in the room, one of the newest was also with us. Sergej Jakirovic, the Hull manager who was recognised for winning promotion from the Championship last season, made a dash across the Pennines with his assistant Dean Holden, hotfoot from Hull’s draw with Brentford earlier in the day.
The Croatian coach had the audience in laughter when he said he’d ‘failed’ in the task he was given when he took over the Tigers – namely to keep them in the Championship! While the club’s hierarchy were concerned about relegation to League One, Jakirovic and his staff took Hull in the opposite direction, into the Premier League via the Play-Offs.
Other managers to collect their awards were Stuart Maynard, who took York City back into the Football League in the most dramatic way, 13 minutes into stoppage time on the final day of the season. And Jimmy McNulty, Rochdale’s defeated manager that day, also collected an award for winning promotion via the Play-Offs shortly afterwards. Steven Schumacher was recognised for leading Bolton Wanderers into the Championship, while Manchester City’s prize winning trio Pep Guardiola, Andree Jeglertz and Oliver Reiss sent video messages.
Our thanks to Ian Dennis of BBC Radio Five Live for being our Master of Ceremonies, the staff of the Radisson Edwardian for hosting the evening, title sponsors Lyle and Scott, and Whitehall Bespoke for crafting the trophies.
As ever, special thanks go to Paul Hetherington, Steve Bates and Martin Blackburn of the FWA North Committee for organising another hugely successful evening.
Stuart Maynard, who led York to promotion back to League Two, speaking with Ian Dennis
Jimmy McNulty also won promotion from the National League, via the PlayOffs
Steven Schumacher led Bolton to promotion back to the Championship.
Sergej Jakirovic made it across from Hull’s draw with Brentford earlier in the day
David Moyes spoke about the importance of good relations between managers and the media
The winners with their trophies, beautifully crafted by WhitehallBespoke.co.uk