Coventry City's Gael Bigirimana won the Kitbag.com Championship Apprentice Of The Year Award at the Football League Awards tonight at The Brewery in London.
City Academy Coach Richard Stevens said before the result was announced: "To be nominated for this award is a great achievement. Gael has been a credit during the 5 years I have been at club."
City Academy Boss Greg Rioch was at the award ceremony on behalf of City's Academy and the club and admitted that he was so proud of Gael and told Sky Blue Player: Rioch said: "We are all so proud of Gael. It's no less than he deserves.
"The lad is a shining example of what our Academy system is about and the way he has taken this season in his stride has been fantastic to watch.
"He's a superb young lad to work with and the way we have watched him develop into a player and a young man off the pitch has been fantastic. He deserves all the congratulations he gets from this."
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Gael Bigirimana put the following on his Facebook page: "God ! Family, friend, God's children which is everyone that I don't know very well ! Church! And the people who has influence me.
" So much without them knowing it on football side it's the academy staff and all my team. "Mates I have played against in my life ! From Life part it's identity youth group I couldn't ask any better group to have in My life !! Their don't know it but one day their will know and God bless all these people and I will always be your lil BRO to anyone cause that's who GOD made me to be !"
Picture https://twitter.com/#!/GJRioch/status/178966391548952576/photo/1/large
The rest of the awards are as follows:
The Npower Fan of the Year, which was won in 2011 by Coventry City supporter Kev Monks, is Plymouth Argyle supporter Sue Pollard.
The Tokio Marine Family Club of the Year was Portsmouth FC.
The KitBag.com Apprentice of the Year for League2 is Nick Powell of Crewe Alexandra.
The KitBag.com Apprentice of the Year for League1 is Jordan Cousins of Charlton Athletic.
The Football Manager Outstanding Managerial Achievement Award goes to Gus Poyet of Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Perform Best Marketing Campaign goes to Hartlepool United for ‘Are you Coming to Pools?’
The Bluefin Sport Unsung Hero award has been won by Paul Bradley - Preston North End’s Stadium Operations Manager.
The PFA Player in the Community was Millwall’s Tamika Mkandawire.
Best Matchday Programme was Burnley’s ‘Claret & You’
Goal of the Year went to former Coventry schoolboy Peter Whittingham of Cardiff City.
The Coca-Cola Community Club of the Year was Rotherham United.
The Npower Young Player of the Year was Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha.
The Npower Player of the Year for League Two was Swindon Town winger Matt Ritchie.
The Npower Player of the Year for League One was Jordan Rhodes of Huddersfield Town.
The Npower Player of the Year for the Championship was Southampton's Rickie Lambert.
The Contribution to League Football Award for 2012 went to Shrewsbury Town manager Graham Turner.
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Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM