Captain Brad Wadkins was the big winner at Welwyn Garden City’s annual end of season awards presentation.

The 30-year-old scooped four of the major awards during the evening, collecting the player of the year accolades from the club committee, from the supporters, the team's management as well as his fellow players.

Signed by manager Marc Weatherstone from the previous season’s title-winners Berkhamsted last summer, he was converted into a goal-scoring midfielder, rather than an out striker.

And yet he still supplied 16 goals in WGC’s Southern League campaign, in which they finished ninth in Division One Central.

A very experienced non-league performer, he has previously seen service with Chesham United, Slough Town and Kings Langley.

The top goalscorer award went to Dernell Wynter, having been manager Weatherstone’s first signing for the club, joining from the boss's former club Wingate & Finchley.

Young Player of the Year went to outstanding midfielder Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo while there were internal club awards for Cyrus Babaie, Alex Harris and Jack Vasey.

Manager Weatherstone told those attending that he believed the late season fixture backlog had been pivotal in ending their play-off charge.

He said: "Overall finishing ninth was something of a disappointment, but our fixture backlog and a run-in of nine games in 21 days finally did for our chances.

"We also picked up some serious injuries during that run, that cost us dearly."

In regard to the latter, he singled out long-serving defender Yasin Boodhoo, 33, for praise.

He was recalled from a loan spell at Arlesey Town and played a dozen successive games during that spell, due to the season-ending injuries sustained by central defenders James Kaloczi and Josh Steele.

Weatherstone added: “I genuinely believe that the squad we assembled at the club could and should have finished among the play-off places.

"If we keep that basis of this squad together, I feel we will be challenging again."

The club will resume training for the 2024-25 season in late June and hope to begin their pre-season programme on the second weekend in July.