John Hanson ‘Player of Year’

Press, 14 October 1986, Page 44

John Hanson ‘Player of Year’

John Hanson, who scored 19 national league and Chatham Cup goals for Christchurch United this year, was last evening named Canterbury soccer “Player of the Year” at a function at English Park. For much of the national league, Hanson, who arrived in Christ-

church from England 18 months ago, averaged a goal a game and his 14 goals had much to do with United’s solid bid for its first league title since 1978. United reached the semi-finals of the Chatham Cup, and the bustling 23-year-old striker contributed five of the team’s 13 goals in

the national knockout competition. The improved showing of the city’s only national league club this year was reflected in the four positional awards, which wre all won by United players. Hanson also collected “The Press” Forward of the Year award; the

Radio New Zealand-spon-sored Midfielder of the Year was won by Graeme Archer, who brought up his 100 national league games for United last season; and two players who made their New Zealand debuts in Fiji last month, Gary Lund and Alan

Stroud, won the “Christchurch Star!* Defender of the Year and the Radio Avon Goal-keeper of the Year awards respectively. Steven Toohey, of Burndale i United, won the Court and Field-spon-sored Yoiith Player of the Year award. .• •• ■ : • ... .• ■.. •• ■