FANS' favourite Chris Westwood was last night still trying to come to terms with being voted Hartlepool United's top dog.
The classy defender, an ever present as Pool have set the pace in Division Three all season, was crowned the club's away player of the year by the club's supporters association at Wednesday's presentation night.
Now he wants to cap a memorable week by securing promotion to Division Two when Pool go to Scunthorpe tomorrow.
Westwood, a free transfer signing from Wolves by former manager Chris Turner in 1999, has recently signed a new, two-year deal to extend his stay at Victoria Park.
"I'm really surprised,'' he confessed. "It's very nice to get recognition for the work I've put in this season, but I honestly think it's a little bit hard on some of the lads who haven't won anything.
"But we hope everyone will have something to celebrate at the end of the season.
"I'm finding the overall award a bit elusive, but I'm going to get my hands on it one way or another!''
Ritchie Humphreys, the overall player of the year, admits he believes Westwood deserved the overall accolade, never mind the away award.
"I was really shocked and proud to get the award, but I thought Westy would have won it,'' he said. "He's been so consistent, he's set the standard all season.
"He's never put a foot wrong all year. But it means a lot to me as well, I'm so proud to win the award because it's from the fans.''
Pool only need a point tomorrow to secure promotion and, with the title still to play for, Westwood admitted: "I think at the start of the season if people were asked 'do you want promotion?' 99.9 per cent of people would have answered yes.
"But obviously we have been top of this league for so long now everyone wants the championship. If we didn't win it, yes it would be a let down and a bit of an anti-climax, but we would still have something to celebrate because we will be promoted.''
* Pool have been allocated 2,000 seats for tomorrow's game and had under 200 remaining last night. The Victoria Park ticket office is closed today and remaining tickets will be on sale from the Glanford Park turnstiles.
Read more about Hartlepool here.
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