Saddlers Player of the Year announced

By OneNil
April 24 2003

Central defender Ian Roper has today been announced as Walsall FC's PLayer of the Season for 2002/03, easily beating off competition from Jimmy Walker and Darren Bazeley.

'Ropes' - who finished second last season - polled 36.7% of fans' votes, beating last years' winner Jimmy Walker (27.1%). Full back Darren Bazeley came in third with 11.1% while joint top scorer Jorge Leitao finished fourth with 9.4%.

Roper will collect his award - the Bernard Johnston Memorial Trophy - before Saturday's home game against Derby County.

Left back Julian Bennett, 18, will receive the Young Player of the Year award after progressing into the reserves from the Under 19s squad.