KUMB Awards

Once again there were twelve categories for readers to vote in this year's KUMB Awards XIX.

And once again the KUMB Awards were revealed in front of a live audience, with The Cow in Stratford Westfield providing the venue - and former Hammers Marlon Harewood and Anton Ferdinand the enteretainment.




KUMB.com PLAYER OF THE YEAR



1. DIMITRI PAYET (44%)
2. Michail Antonio (20%)
3. Mark Noble (16%)

The only doubt in this year's KUMB Player of the Year poll was who would come second to fans' favourite Dimitri Payet, who enjoyed a simply wonderful season in his first year as a Premier League footballer.

In the end that honour fell to fellow new signing Michail Antonio, who just pushed Mark 'Too Good For England' Noble into third place in one of the most keenly-fought races in many a year.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Aaron Cresswell; 2013/14 Mark Noble; 2012/13 Winston Reid; 2011/12 James Tomkins; 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. REECE OXFORD (57%)
2. Reece Burke (19%)
3. Martin Samuelsen (12%)

The writing was on the wall for Reece Oxford from the very first game of the Premier League season when he outplayed Arsenal's world-class midfielder Mesuit Ozil. That was the first of 12 appearances for Slaven Bilic's first team - with half of those coming before he reached his 17th birthday!

Reece Burke, who won this category last season by a landslide was a worthy runner-up having been named as Bradford's Player of the Year, where he spent much of the season on loan - and Martin Samuelsen, who wowed the Peterborough fans at London Road earlier in the year with a shorter loan spell came a respectable third.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Reece Burke; 2013/14 Dylan Tombides; 2012/13 Danny Potts; 2011/12 Danny Potts; 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. DIMITRI PAYET vs CRYSTAL PALACE (38%)
2. DImitri Payet vs Manchester Utd (20%)
3. Dean Ashton vs West Ham United XI (14%)

It was the shot that defied gravity - and a seven-man wall! Dimi Payet's incredible free kick at the Boleyn in the 2-2 draw against Palace was your favourite goal of a season stacked with brilliant strikes.

Coming second some distance behind was another fantastic effort from the mercurial Frenchman as he beat one of the world's best goalkeeper's in David De Gea, from a full 35 yards, in the FA Cup quarter final tie at Old Trafford. CLose behind that was Dean Ashton's overhead kick in Mark Noble's testimonial - the first time a non-current Hammer has been nominated for a KUMB Award!

Previous Winners
2014/15 Enner Valencia v Huill City (a); 2013/14 Ravel Morrison v Tottenham (a); 2012/13 Mo Diame v Man Utd (h); 2011/12 Ricardo Vaz Te v Blackpool (n); 2010/11 Scott Parker v Liverpool (h); 2009/10 Scott Parker v Wigan (h); 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).



MOST MEMORABLE MATCH



1. WEST HAM UTD 3-2 MANCHESTER UTD (67%)
2. Liverpool 0-3 West Ham Utd (12%)
3. Everton 2-3 West Ham Utd (4%)

There was only ever going to be one winner of this particular category once it was announced that the Boleyn Ground would cease to be at the end of the 2015/16. Still ,the 3-2 win against Manchester United was a perfect and most fitting finale, with Bilic's side coming form behind to win their last game in Green STreet after 112 years.

In any other season our runner-up woiuld have walked away with this award but West Hamn's first win on Anfield since 1963 was some way behind our eventual winner. Our other win on Merseyside - the 3-2 success at Goodison Park - was a worthy third.

Previous Winners
2014/15 West Ham Utd 3-1 Liverpool (h); 2013/14 Tottenham (a) 3-0; 2012/13 Chelsea 3-1 (h); 2011/12 Blackpool 2-1 (n); 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).



BEST SIGNING



1. DIMITRI PAYET (68%)
2. Michail Antonio (16%)
3. Manuel Lanzini (6%)

Award number three this year for Payet - perhaps they're beginning to understand? A relative snip at a shade under £11million when signing from Marseille last summer, the French international scored a brace on his debut at Southend in a pre-season friendly and never looked back.

For the second time Payet beat former Forest winger Antonio into second place, whilst the on-loan Manuel Lanzini came a worthy third place in season when the vast majority of summer signings paid off for Slaven Bilic.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Aaron Cresswell; 2013/14 Adrian San Miguel Del Castillo; 2012/13 Andy Carroll; 2011/12 Ricardo Vaz Te; 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. MICHAIL ANTONIO (35%)
2. Mark Noble (22%)
3. James Collins (21%)

He couldn't even get in the team at the start of the season, but patience paid off for Michail Antonio as he ended the season as one of the first names on the team sheet - be that on the right wing or at full back, where he deputised for several weeks.

Close behind having enjoyed one of his best seasons ever was club captain Mark Noble, even though his form clearly wasn't enough to impress England boss Roy Hodgson (more on him later). Coming third in this category for a second successive season was experienced centre half James Collins.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Stewart Downing; 2013/14 Matt Taylor; 2012/13 Winston Reid; 2011/12 Winston Reid; 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 MISSED



1. CARLTON COLE (48%)
2. Mauro Zarate (14%)
3. Stewart Downing (10%)

There was one final refrain of "Always believe in your soul" at the Boleyn Ground as KUMB Podcast presenter Bianca Westwood interviewed Carlton Cole during the closing ceremony. Cole was never the greatest player - as he readily admits - but oine of the most popular footballers to feature for the club in recent years.

Coming second in a one-horse race was Mauro Zarate, who was sold to Fiorentina during the winter transfer window - and behind him Stewart Downing, who went on to win promotion from the Championship with home town club Middlesbrough.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Jack Cillison; 2013/14 Dylan Tombides; 2012/13 Wally Downes; 2011/12 Demba Ba; 2010/11 Alessandro Diamanti; 2009/10 Dean Ashton.



WORST PLAYER OF THE SEASON



1. CARL JENKINSON (23%)
2. Enner Valencia (14%)
3. Nikica Jelavic (12%)

Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson enjoyed a reasonably productive season on loan at the Boleyn in 2014/15 so returned for a second season - which was anything but. After conceding three penalties - the most by a top-flight defender this season - he was sent back to North London after sustaining a season-ending injury.

£12million-man Enner Valencia - who missed most of the opening half of the campaign through injury - once again flattered to deceive whilst third place Nikica Jelavic was lacking a little in quality, if not effort and endeavour.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Kevin Nolan; 2013/14 Alou Diarra; 2012/13 Emanuel Pogatetz; 2011/12 John Carew; 2010/11 Matthew Upson; 2009/10 Jonathan Spector; 2008/09 Diego Tristan; 2007/08 Luis Boa Morte; 2006/07 Nigel Quashie; 2005/06 Category Suspended; 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. NIKICA JELAVIC (27%)
2. Alex Song (17%)
3. Carl Jenkinson (16%)

A last-minute signing to boost squad numbers on transfer deadline day Jelavic was always going to be a stop-gap figure, although few expected him to last just four months - having scored just three goals in a claret and blue shirt - before being sent to China at the end of January.

Alex Song failed to recreate his form from his first season on loan at the Boleyn Ground and ended the season in a farciacl situation, unable to be played as a clause in his contract would hve triggered a permanent contract. Your Worst Player also edged into the Worst Signing reckoning, with Carl Jenkinson comepting the trio this year.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Mauro Zarate; 2013/14 Mladen Petric; 2012/13 Emanuel Pogatetz; 2011/12 John Carew; 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.



GREATEST DISAPPOINTMENT



1. REFEREE'S INCONSISTENCY (32%)
2. The FA Cup quarter defeat to Manchester United (30%)
3. Boleyn Ground, RIP (11%)

It's a fairly well-established fact that West Ham would have qualified for the Champions League and the FA Cup semi finals (at least) this season with room to spare had the PGMOL's finest done their jobs properly - and that was your biggest moan this season.

Defeat against Manchester United - in a replay that should have never taken place (see above!) - was your second biggest dissappointment of 15/16, whilst the decision to end our assiation with Green STreet still rankles with many supporters, despite Karren Brady's insistance that 85 per cent of fans supported the move to the Olympic Stadium.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Our post-Xmas slump in form; 2013/14 Our style of football; 2012/13 Our away form; 2011/12 No home win in seven matches; 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.



KUMB PODCAST GUEST OF THE YEAR



1. DEAN ASHTON & MARLON HAREWOOD (19%)
2. Danny Dyer (14%)
3. Tony Carr (13%)

Yet again we had some fantastic guests on the KUMB West Ham Podcast, which saw Bianca Westwood replace James Longman as co-host in January with the latter transferred to James Cordon's LA-based Late, Late Show. However your favourite episode in Series 4 was the dual appearance of West Ham's former striker parners, Ashton and Harewood.

In what proved to be ouir most tightly-fought category this year, Eastenders star Danny Dyer came a close second whilst just a few handfuls of votes behind was Club Ambassador Tony Carr. More from this season's Podcast here.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Jack Collison; 2013/14 Ian Bishop



HACKETT OF THE YEAR



1. ROY HODGSON (30%)
2. Martin Atkinson (14%)
3. James McCarthy (14%)

Having turned his nose up at West Ham's entire squad for the whole of the 2015/16 season Roy Hodgson was a shoo-in for this pre Euro 2016 award, taking almost one in three votes.

Martin Atkinson, the referee who allowed Manchester United's dodgy equaliser to stand at Old Trafford - thus affording them an FA Cup quarter final replay at the Boleyn which they won - came in well behind Hodgson but just ahead of Everton midfielder James McCarthy, whose dreadful challenge ruled Dimi pyet our for three months earlier in the campaign.

Previous Winners
2014/15 Kenny Brown's thieves; 2013/14 Chico Flores; 2012/13 Barry Hearn; 2011/12 Barry Hearn; 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. We'll see you back in the Premier League in 2016/17 and back here next summer for our 20th annual readers' poll!