AS Storm Doris battered Britain last week, few minds would have already drifted towards summer. There's one sure-fire way to know the calmer weather is on its way – our annual announcement about the return of the National Game Awards!
Our late February confirmation signals we're at the business end of the season and we're determined to make this summer's celebration our best yet.
It's not every year we reveal the details about our ceremony when there's still a Non-League club standing tall in the FA Cup. It's been a special year for our game already, and it's only right we toast it properly with the year's headline makers.
Mark the date of Wednesday May 17 in your diary, and we are thrilled to announce we will be returning again to Chelsea's Stamford Bridge.
It's been a huge year in a lot of ways so this will officially be the biggest National Game Awards to date with a record 16 awards being dished out.
Honour
We're delighted to welcome back SCL – the sports coaching and education specialists – as our main title sponsor and thank them for their support. SCL are also working closely with us for the vital Unsung Hero award.
One of the telling things about the NGAs is the regular and relentless backing it receives – without this, we simply couldn't honour the great and the good of the Non-League game in such a way.
Mark Harrod have been behind us for years and their team will back the Player of the Year, while Huck Nets have once again put their name to the Goal of the Season gong again too.
FieldTurf are back as well – the Manager of the Year will be handed over by them while we welcome Brandon Hire to the NGA party. The Step 3/4 Player of Year is supported by the tool hiring specialists.
The Acerbis Cup Run award will be fierce for obvious reasons, while The PFA Fairplay will honour Non-League's saints of the season.
The Football Foundation have enjoyed another great year, it's no surprise to see them return, getting behind the Community Club accolade.
Our friends at Sportsbeat sign up once again – they didn't need asking twice to support the Young Player of the Year.
We love the William Hill Fan of the Year category and again we need your help with this one, while the SK Kits Golden Boot is based on the scoring charts.
Red Insure return, the Team of the Year is never short of candidates while Reusch are back — they couldn't miss the chance to crown the season's quality goalkeeper.
The FA are helping out with the England C Player of the Year, while The NLP Lifetime Achievement award is of course one of our personal favourites.
We're delighted to today announce number 16 – the Marathonbet Non-League Challenge Celebration of the Season is sure to add some real fun to the afternoon.
Keep an eye on The NLP over the next few months as we bring you award-by-award guides as well as all the information you need to ensure the decanters end up in the right hands!
NGA 2016-17 List of Awards
Mark Harrod Player of the Year
Sportsbeat Young Player of the Year
FieldTurf Manager of the Year
Reusch Goalkeeper of the Year
SK Kits Golden Boot
Brandon Hire Step 3 & 4 Player of the Year
Red Insure Team of the Year
Acerbis Cup Run of the Year
Huck Nets Goal of the Season
William Hill Fan of the Year
The Football Foundation Community Club of the Year
The PFA Fair Play Award
SCL Unsung Hero
The FA England C Player of the Year
Marathonbet Non-League Challenge Goal Celebration of the Year
The Non-League Paper Lifetime Achievement
How to vote
Please email ngavotes@greenwayspublishing.com to cast your vote or use #NGAvotes on Twitter or via post to The Non-League Paper, Tuition House, St George's Road, Wimbledon SW19 4EU
SCL are a government approved post-16 education provider in the sports sector who run Academy programmes with over 60 football, rugby and cricket, professional and grass roots sports clubs, foundations and community trusts. Find out more at www.wearescl.co.uk/education
