By Paul Hetherington
THE football pyramid from the Premier League to the National League was honoured at the FWA’s Northern Managers’ Awards Dinner in Manchester on Sunday evening.
Three Premier League managers were present at The Edwardian Hotel to receive their awards from the FWA’s Northern chairman, Andy Dunn.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was honoured for winning the Carabao Cup and the Dutchman was joined by Burnley’s Vincent Kompany and Sheffield United’s Paul Heckingbottom, who won promotion to the top flight.
At the other end of the soccer scale, Chris Millington – boss of FC Halifax Town of the National League – received his award for winning last season’s FA Trophy.
Also present were another two managerial winners in Darren Moore and Phil Parkinson.
Moore, now boss of Huddersfield Town, was honoured for leading Sheffield Wednesday to promotion to the Championship.
And Parkinson picked up his trophy after ending Wrexham’s exile from the Football League by winning promotion from the National League.
Three of the north’s nine managerial winners were unable to attend, including Manchester City’s treble-winning boss Pep Guardiola, who sent a video message.
But City ensured last season’s historic success was there for all to see at The Edwardian, by sending the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup trophies to be displayed at the event.
For good measure, the European Super Cup was also there – won at the beginning of this season.
Carlisle’s Paul Simpson, who won promotion to League One, will receive his glass football at a later date.
But in the absence of Bolton’s Ian Evatt, winner of the Papa John’s EFL Trophy, Wanderers were represented by ambassador and club legend John McGinley.
