LOV's Half-Season Bolton Wanderers Winter Awards Extravaganza

We are almost in January and so that means it's time, once again, for the always-controversial and often interesting "Half-Season Bolton Wanderers Winter Awards Extravaganza" in association with beer and crisps.

Let's get cracking:

Half Season Player of the Year - Mark Beevers

The former Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall man has been a rock since joining in the summer. Never less than an 8/10, his influence has spread throughout the team - just look at how he's dragged David Wheater up a notch.

Runner Up - Jay Spearing

Our ex-Liverpool man is the first name on the team-sheet and has shown his obvious class throughout the season to date.

I just hope we can keep him when the transfer window reopens.

Honourable Mention - Ben Alnwick

From a semi-shaky start against Peterborough, Alnwick has been superb.

Replacing the injured Mark Howard in that game he might well have conceded a soft goal but since then he has barely put a foot out of place and looks to have secured his spot when Howard returns in the next few weeks.

Half Season Goal of the Year - Sammy Ameobi vs Sheffield United (FA Cup)

Our mercurial left/right winger scored a beauty in the 3-2 home win against Sheffield's second team.

Collecting a pass from the centre, he carefully placed his shot to the right of the keeper's despairing dive and helped earn us the win. Great goal.

Runner Up - Sammy Ameobi vs Gillingham

Another one for the lad.

This one involved him showing his ability in cutting in from wide before hitting an unstoppable shot beyond the Gillingham keeper into the top corner.

Honourable Mention - Josh Vela v Gillingham

Another one from the same game, but this was a beautiful flowing move with went through the spine of the team, involving a delightful backheel from Zach Clough before Josh Vela ran on to slot home.

Glorious.

Young Player of the Half Season - Josh Vela

A contender for Player of the Half Season, Vela has been nothing short of brilliant since his shift forwards into an attacking midfield role.

Phil Parkinson has to take great credit for this move but Vela has grasped the chance with both hands and has gone from strength to strength.

Surprise of the Half Season - Phil Parkinson

I have to admit to being somewhat underwhelmed by the appointment of the former Bradford City man back in the summer.

His achievements at Bradford were, on paper, impressive - but reservations about his style of play remained although as a concern perhaps this maybe says more about me than about him, or about the situation.

Since he arrived though, he has been a breath of fresh air. Who would have thought that Bolton Wanderers would have the best defensive record in the entire galaxy?

He's made a huge impact and has been without doubt the crowning achievement of Ken Anderson's time at the club.

Grim Moment of the Half Season - Finances Laid Bare

Urgh. We all thought we'd heard the last of Bolton Wanderers and their courtroom strife, but no.

Losses of £800,000 per month came to light following Ken Anderson's Q&A session in December and sparked off another round of head-scratching amongst Wanderers fans.

Arguments and fall-outs between Ken Anderson and Dean Holdsworth mean that, to date, these issues have yet to be resolved and the club is back once again on an unsound footing, financially speaking. Oh the joy.

Match of the Half Season - Bury 0-2 Bolton Wanderers (October)

Not the most spectacular performance of the season, but certainly one of the most enjoyable.

It was a straightforward and easy win over our local rivals. One in which we looked comfortable from start to finish. Two Zach Clough penalties earned us the three points and it was a great evening out all round.

Runner Up - Bolton Wanderers 4-0 Gillingham (December)

A recent effort, but a very enjoyable night out nonetheless.

It was, on paper, a somewhat tricky tie against a team that was struggling but in improved form. It proved to be nothing of the sort.

We battered Gillingham from start to finish and whilst they were perhaps not as appalling as the scoreline suggests, it was a comprehensive victory by a dominant Wanderers side.

Must Do Better Award - Jamie Proctor and Keshi Anderson

Our supplementary strikers have just two goals between them all season, and only one of those came in the league (scored by Anderson).

They have, in truth, offered very little in an attacking sense - albeit mainly in cameo appearances - and if we are to build on our excellent start to the season we need them to start chipping in where it matters most, in front of goal.

Much Improved Player - Josh Vela

The academy graduate has had a couple of dodgy months at the start of the campaign, which saw him shuttling between defensive midfield and the odd excursion to right back.

Then, Phil Parkinson moved him to an attacking midfield role and the rest is history. Evoking memories of a young Kevin Nolan, Vela has been fantastic.

Adding goals to the endeavour that was always present, he has been a persistent threat to the opposition and is another that we have to pray that we can hold onto as the transfer window reopens this week.

Don't Rush Back Award - Dorian Dervite

Seriously, take your time.