Champion's hot-shot scoops player of the year title!

FC United of Manchester striker Tom Greaves scooped the Timali Step 3 & 4 Player of the Year honours for the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League at the Non-League Paper's National Game Awards.

The FC United star collected the accolade at Fulham's Craven Cottage on Wednesday from NLP editor Stuart Hammonds after beating two other finalists from the EVO-STIK NPL to the top award, former Ilkeston FC star Che Adams and Salford City's title-winning defender Chris Lynch.

A smiling Greaves, pictured alongside his partner Sarah Melvin at the awards, was chosen by the paper's readers as their star of the season after firing FC United to the Premier Division title and promotion to Conference North with 20 goals in the top flight and five more in the FA Cup and run to the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy.

In total, the 30-year-old former Bridlington, Garforth, Guiseley, Ossett Town, Stocksbridge Park Steels and Bradford Park Avenue hot-shot has scored 72 goals in 132 appearances for the Reds since arriving from the latter in January 2013 to join Karl Marginson's champions.

He's now famously gone from villain to hero for FC United fans after scoring the winning goal against them in the 2012 Premier Division play-off final to secure Bradford PA’s promotion.

Marginson, FC United's one and only manager since the club was founded a decade ago, narrowly missed out on an award after he was among the finalists for Fieldturf Manager of the Year, won by Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke following his club's swift return to the Football League after victory in last Sunday's promotion play-off final at Wembley.

FC United were also pipped to two other accolades after stopper Dave Carnell made the shortlist for Reusch Goalkeeper of the Year while the club itself was unlucky to lose out to Ryman Premier champions Maidstone United for the title of Red Insure Team of the Year.

North Ferriby United, 2013 EVO-STIK NPL champions, were also honoured, Billy Heath's side collecting the Toolstation Cup Run of the Year laurels following their FA Trophy triumph at Wembley in March. Warrington Town and Blyth Spartans were among the five finalists for the accolade after their respective runs to the second and third rounds of the FA Cup.

Guests at the annual awards included England C manager Paul Fairclough and Football Conference chairman Brian Lee who took home the NLP's Lifetime Achievement accolade before his retirement this summer.

National Game Awards Winners 2015
The NLFA Player of the Year: John Akinde
FA England C Player of the Year: Andy Yiadom
Reusch Goalkeeper of the Year: James McKeown
The NLFA Unsung Hero: Derek Vernum
Sportsbeat Young Player of the Year: Lee Angol
Fieldturf Manager of the Year: Darrell Clarke
Timali Step 3 & 4 Player of the Year: Tom Greaves
The PFA Fair Play Award: Harrogate Town
William Hill Fan of the Year: Mary Jinks
The Football Foundation Community Club of the Year: Merthyr Town
Red Insure Team of the Year: Maidstone United
All About Ballerz Golden Boot: John Mills
Toolstation Cup Run of the Year: North Ferriby United
Huck Nets Goal of the Season: Sean Geddes
The Non-League Paper Lifetime Achievement: Brian Lee (Football Conference chairman)

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