A very successful Player of the Year and Race Night was held at Moss Lane on 4 May 2002. The event, organised by the supporters' association (S.A.F.E.) in conjunction with the Club, was attended by most of the first team squad. At the event Alty in Exile made a £300 donation to the Club's funds and Rod Thornley revealed a hidden talent as an auctioneer! For details of the event, see below.

WINNER

STUART COBURN

---

RUNNER-UP

ROD THORNLEY

Pictured L to R: Alan Brotherton (S.A.F.E.), who organised the event, Rod Thornley and Graham Heathcote.

---

THIRD PLACE

MARK SERTORI

Pictured L to R: Mark Sertori and Graham Heathcote.

---

AMONGST THE GUESTS

Pictured at the event, outgoing Club Chairman Mark Harris and Alty Exiles' Co-ordinator, Jacqui Forster.

PRESENTATION AND RACE NIGHT

A highly successful and well-attended Presentation and Race Night was held at Moss Lane last night. The event was compered by George Heslop and attended by 14 players from the first-team squad as well as many Club officials including Director Mark Harris, manager Bernard Taylor and coach Graham Heathcote. After Graham had announced the Alty Web Forum Player of the Year award to Ian Craney (presented by Forum host Gary Warrington), the S.A.F.E. members' Players of the Year were revealed. These were:

• 1st- Stuart Coburn (pictured right)
• 2nd- Rod Thornley
• 3rd- Mark Sertori

Stuart, who was receiving the prize for the second time in his career, made a short acceptance speech in which he thanked the voters but, tongue in cheek, said that whilst his team-mates had played well last season, he himself had been "brilliant"! Graham Heathcote indicated that the team had had a fine season till being blown of course by off-the-field events and injuries in the latter part of the campaign.

Alty in Exile coordinator Jacqui Forster then made a very welcome and commendable presentation of £300 to the Club.

This had been raised by the Exiles- Alty's fans based away from the Manchester/Cheshire area. Outgoing Chairman Mark Harris made a short speech thanking everyone for their support of the Club but especially the players and supporters. He declared that "Altrincham FC will go on" despite the present financial crisis.

Alty striker and England masseur Rod Thornley was then introduced to auction an England shirt which he will get signed by all the England squad from Sven-Goran Eriksson downwards at the first World Cup match against Sweden. This was Rod's own fundraising initiative, for which he is to be applauded. He went on to wind up the bids for the shirt to a superb total of £1,150 pledged by Director Jeremy Pollitt, who just saw off determined counter-bidding by Brian Flynn.

Gary Warrington generously donated his first prize in the raffle draw, a David Beckham signed Manchester United shirt, which was sold by auction for £300. Rod Thornley himself won the Alty signed football in the raffle and this was bought by auction for £160 by Russell Woodward of the Alty Exiles. Later in the evening Rod also raised £575 for an Argentina shirt to be signed by their World Cup squad, through the offices of Juan Verón. This was bought by Brian Flynn.

Towards the end of the evening the players left for their own end of season outing but, before doing so, Gary Scott gave the audience a display of his dancing skills!

The races themselves were well supported and thanks are due to Race Night "Totemaster", Toni, for making the night a very entertaining one. Above all, however, the event organiser Alan Brotherton and his colleagues in S.A.F.E. are to be congratulated for their hard work in making the night both enjoyable and a financial success.