KUMB Awards XV: 2011/12 Season
- Results Announced: 2012-06-03 14:31:03
Once again there were eleven categories for readers to vote in this year, KUMB.com's fifteenth annual poll.

1. JAMES TOMKINS (41%)
2. MARK NOBLE (33%)
3. RICARDO VAZ TE (6%)
It's a rare occurrence that KUMB.com's Player of the Year differs from the club's but that is exactly what happened this year as Hammer of the Year Mark Noble was beaten into second place by central defender James Tomkins, who has enjoyed a fantastic season at the heart of the defence. Last year's Young Player of the Year has come of age this season and stood out in the Championship - as did Noble, a three-times winner of KUMB's Young Player award. Recent signing and Wembley hero Ricardo Vaz Te pipped our 2007/08 Player of the Year, Rob Green, to third place by the narrowest of margins - just one vote.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Scott Parker; 2009/10 Scott Parker; 2008/09 Scott Parker; 2007/08 Robert Green; 2006/07 Carlos Tevez; 2005/06 Danny Gabbidon; 2004/05 Teddy Sheringham; 2003/04 Matthew Etherington; 2002/03 Joe Cole; 2001/02 Sebastien Schemmel; 2000/01 Stuart Pearce; 1999/2000 Paolo Di Canio; 1998/99 Steve Lomas; 1997/98 John Hartson.
YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR

1. DANNY POTTS (50%)
2. HENRI LANSBURY (39%)
3. ROBERT HALL (9%)
With very few players aged 21 or under having featured for Sam Allardyce's first team this season, Danny Potts - one of the few to have done so and impressed - takes one in every two votes to become this season's KUMB.com Young Player of the Year. Whether he can go on to emulate previous winners Mark Noble and James Tomkins remains to be seen. On-loan Henri Lansbury eases into second place whilst the young and exciting Robert Hall - who spent much of the campaign on loan and is another with an exciting future ahead of him - grabs third spot.
Previous Winners
2010/11 James Tomkins; 2009/10 Zavon Hines; 2008/09 Jack Collison; 2007/08 Mark Noble; 2006/07 Mark Noble; 2005/06 Nigel Reo-Coker; 2004/05 Mark Noble; 2003/04 Chris Cohen; 2002/03 Glenn Johnson; 2001/02 Jermain Defoe; 2000/01 Michael Carrick; 1999/2000 Michael Carrick; 1998/99 Rio Ferdinand/Frank Lampard; 1997/98 Rio Ferdinand.
GOAL OF THE SEASON

1. RICARDO VAZ TE v BRIGHTON (31%)
2. RICARDO VAZ TE v BLACKPOOL (20%)
3. WINSTON REID v MILLWALL (9%)
There were several corkers from which to choose in this season's Best Goal category hence no outstanding winner, but you decided that Ricardo Vaz Te's technically-brilliant overhead kick against Brighton was the cream of the crop. The Portuguese forward's late winner against Blackpool in the play-off Final may not have been spectacular but it's importance cannot be doubted, whilst Winston Reid's volley that won the game for a 10-man West Ham against the old foe back in February edged into third place in your favourite goals of the 2011/12 campaign.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Scott Parker v Liverpool; 2009/10 Scott Parker v Wigan; 2008/09 Carlton Cole v Wigan (a); 2007/08 Dean Ashton v Man Utd (a); 2006/07 Mark Noble v Bolton (h); 2005/06 Anton Ferdinand v Fulham (h); 2004/05 Bobby Zamora v Ipswich (a); 2003/04 Jon Harley v Sheffield Utd (a); 2002/03 Paolo Di Canio v Chelsea (h); 2001/02 Trevor Sinclair v Derby (h); 2000/01 Paolo Di Canio v Manchester United (a); 1999/2000 Paolo Di Canio v Wimbledon (h); 1998/99 Stan Lazaridis v Newcastle (a);1997/98 John Hartson v Aston Villa (h).
BEST SIGNING

1. RICARDO VAZ TE (84%)
2. KEVIN NOLAN (11%)
3. GEORGE McCARTNEY (1%)
Signed in the January transfer window, Ricardo Vaz Te becomes the second consecutive player purchased midway through the season to land this particular award. Without his 12 goals - that included a hat-trick against Brighton and strikes in the play-off semi final and Final - it's debatable whether West Ham would have been lining up in the Premier League next season. It took a while, but captain Kevin Nolan finally won the hearts of Hammers fans to take second place some distance behind whilst the popular George McCartney begins his second spell at the club by grabbing third place.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Demba Ba; 2009/10 Alessandro Diamanti; 2008/09 Valon Behrami; 2007/08 Scott Parker; 2006/07 Carlos Tevez; 2005/06 Yossi Benayoun; 2004/05 Teddy Sheringham; 2003/04 Matthew Etherington; 2002/03 Rufus Brevett; 2001/02 Sebastien Schemmel; 2000/01 Frederic Kanoute; 1999/2000 Igor Stimac; 1998/99 Trevor Sinclair; 1997/98 Eyal Berkovic.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

1. WINSTON REID (66%)
2. JAMES TOMKINS (14%)
3. JULIEN FAUBERT (6%)
Whether he found his level or simply his feet there can be no debate that young central defender Winston Reid was the overwhelming winner in this category, polling more than four times the number of votes than his closest rival (and defensive partner) James Tomkins. Despite being ousted from Sam Allardyce's plans by Abdoulaye Faye for a while, the Kiwi fought back to become a firm fixture in the first team. Julien Faubert, who has already moved on having completed his contract emulated his win in this category two years ago by grabbing third spot.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Jonathan Spector; 2009/10 Julien Faubert; 2008/09 Carlton Cole; 2007/08 George McCartney; 2006/07 James Collins; 2005/06 Marlon Harewood; 2004/05 Anton Ferdinand; 2003/04 Stephen Bywater; 2002/03 Glen Johnson; 2001/02 Christian Dailly; 2000/01 Michael Carrick; 1999/2000 Marc-Vivien Foe; 1998/99 Frank Lampard; 1997/98 Frank Lampard.
MOST MEMORABLE MATCH

1. WEST HAM UTD 2-1 BLACKPOOL (55%)
2. WEST HAM UTD 6-0 BRIGHTON (14%)
3. BLACKPOOL 1-4 WEST HAM UTD (11%)
Our decision to reserve voting in the KUMB polls until every game in the season has been played was vindicated once again after West Ham reached the play-off Final. With a win in the bag - just! - there was only ever going to be one winner in this category and our first win at Wembley since 1981 breezed home. The stunning 6-0 win against Brighton in April - from which Big Sam's squad never looked back - grabbed second spot, whilst Blackpool featured for a second time courtesy of that extraordinary 10-man 4-1 win at Bloomfield Road back in February.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Man Utd 4-0 (h); 2009/10 Wigan 3-2 (h); 2008/09 Portsmouth 4-1 (a); 2007/08 Man Utd 2-1 (h); 2006/07 Man Utd 1-0 (a); 2005/06 Liverpool/FA Cup Final (n); 2004/05 Ipswich 2-0 (a); 2003/04 Ipswich 2-0 (h); 2002/03 Chelsea 1-0 (h); 2001/02 Man Utd 1-0 (a); 2000/01 Man Utd 1-0 (a); 1999/2000 Arsenal 2-1 (h); 1998/99 Palace 4-1 (h)/Barnsley 6-0 (h); 1997/98 Tottenham 4-3 (h).
WORST PLAYER OF THE SEASON

1. JOHN CAREW (34%)
2. FREDDIE PIQUIONNE (34%)
3. HERITA ILUNGA (18%)
The closest of this year's categories, it was a case of two mis-firing strikers to see who'd you'd nominate as your least effective player in 2011/12 - and in the end, Norwegian international John Carew narrowly edged it over Freddie Piquionne. Carew arrived with high hopes but appeared more interested in the London nightlife than doing the business on the field; he managed just seven league starts and only two goals. Piquionne - who is here for another season - also managed just two goals but was shipped off to Doncaster midway through the season. Third-place Herita Ilunga also ended up at Donny having looked a shadow of his former self at the start of the season.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Matthew Upson; 2009/10 Jonathan Spector; 2008/09 Diego Tristan; 2007/08 Luis Boa Morte; 2006/07 Nigel Quashie; 2005/06 No award; 2004/05 Don Hutchison; 2003/04 Wayne Quinn; 2002/03 Gary Breen; 2001/02 Titi Camara; 2000/01 Titi Camara; 1999/2000 Neil Ruddock; 1998/99 Iain Dowie/Andy Impey; 1997/98 Iain Dowie.
WORST SIGNING OF THE SEASON

1. JOHN CAREW (52%)
2. DAVID BENTLEY (25%)
3. GEORGE JOHN (14%)
It's an unfortunate double for John Carew who becomes the first player to take both Worst Player and Worst Signing awards in the same season since Diego Tristan three years ago. On the bright side, at least we won't have to watch him labour around the pitch next season as his one-year contract has now expired. Slightly unfortunate to be voted in second place is Tottenham's David Bentley who was another that arrived with high hopes but was sent back to his parent club following an early injury - although West Ham were contracted to pay his wages until January. American defender George John was another loanee, but never came close to representing the first team.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Robbie Keane; 2009/10 Benni McCarthy; 2008/09 Diego Tristan; 2007/08 Henri Camara; 2006/07 Matthew Upson; 2005/06 No award; 2004/05 Mauricio Tarrico; 2003/04 Wayne Quinn; 2002/03 Gary Breen; 2001/02 Ragnvald Soma; 2000/01 Titi Camara; 1999/2000 Sasa Ilic; 1998/99 Andy Impey; 1997/98 Ian Pearce.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

1. NO HOME WIN IN SEVEN GAMES (47%)
2. FAILING TO ACHIEVE AUTOMATIC PROMOTION (12%)
3. LOSING 5-1 AT IPSWICH (11%)
West Ham's failure to win a single Bolen Ground fixture in two months - a run of seven games between 14th February and 14th April - was by far your greatest disappointment of the campaign and something that many of you felt ultimately cost the club automatic promotion (although Reading's remarkable run didn't exactly help). Never an easy lot to please, you also decided that automatic promotion was a major disappointment despite that glorious May day at Wembley. Our biggest defeat of the season - a humbling 5-1 reversal at Portman Road - was narrowly behind in third place.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Relegation; 2009/10 Dean Ashton's retirement; 2008/09 The Lord Griffiths ruling in favour of Sheffield Utd; 2007/08 The injury situation; 2006/07 Failing to build on the previous season's success; 2005/06 The FA Cup Final; 2004/05 Booing players; 2003/04 Millwall away; 2002/03 Relegation; 2001/02 Chelsea FA Cup defeat; 2000/01 Spurs FA Cup defeat; 1999/2000 Mannygate.
MOST MISSED

1. DEMBA BA (59%)
2. SCOTT PARKER (37%)
3. THOMAS HITZLSPERGER (1%)
Effectively a two-horse race, yet still a result that may surprise many. Even though Demba Ba only arrived at the club in January of the previous campaign, it was felt that his goals were less ably replaced that the contribution of three-times Player of the Year winner Scott Parker, which is testament to players such as Mark Noble and Kevin Nolan. With a tiny minority of votes left for the remaining eight candidates in this category, 'Der Hammer' just about topped that mini-poll.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Alessandro Diamanti; 2009/10 Dean Ashton.
HACKETT OF THE YEAR

1. BARRY HEARN (25%)
2. JIMMY KEBE (19%)
3. BILLY SHARP (13%)
He started off the season teaming up with Tottenham in an unholy alliance charged with killing West Ham's proposed move to Stratford before attempting to sweet-talk the Hammers into a ground share option - hence why Orient Chairman Barry Hearn is your newest 'Hackett of the Year'. Jimmy Kebe, the showboating shyster from Berkshire who caused Jack Collison to temporarily lose his rag and receive his first red card ever grabbed a fifth of your votes to take second place whilst Southampton's diving divvy Billy Sharp beat off the rest of the competition to land third spot.
Previous Winners
2010/11 Avram Grant; 2009/10 Eidur Gudjohnsen; 2008/09 Lord Griffiths; 2007/08 Kevin McCabe; 2006/07 Dave Whelan (Wigan).
And that's it for another year! Our sincere thanks to everyone who voted in this year's poll and for your continued support of KUMB.com, as we celebrate our 15th birthday this summer. See you back in the Premier League in 2012/13!