By John P
October 19 2005

The NFWA's chairman Paul Hethrington presented the awards last night, at the Thistle Hotel in Manchester, for several managers who went beyond all expectations last season. Sam Allardyce received an award for getting Bolton into the UEFA cup.

Also awarded was Carlisle Manager Paul Simpson for getting them back into the Football League. But the most important award for us blues was the presentation of a crystal decanter for David Moyes getting Everton into Champions League.

Hethrington spoke frankly about the club and stated, "Everton were many people's favourites to be relegated last season but they proved their detractors wrong by finishing fourth in the Premier League to qualify for the Champions League, so don't write them off this season either.

"They were robbed in the Champions League when Pierluigi Collina, supposedly the best referee in the world, disallowed a perfectly legitimate Duncan Ferguson goal.

"But Everton still had four games in Europe, two in the Champions League qualifying competition and two in the UEFA Cup. So for taking Everton back into Europe we congratulate David Moyes and were delighted to honour him."