Player Awards round-up

Dimitri Payet stole the headlines at the end of season Player Awards as he came away with five major honours including being voted Hammer of the Year

Dimitri Payet stole the headlines at the end of season Player Awards as he came away with five major honours including being voted Hammer of the Year.


The first-team squad were present at a gala dinner in central London to celebrate a memorable season for the east London Club.


Payet has enjoyed an unforgettable first year in the Premier League scoring 12 goals and producing 13 assists.


The 29-year-old has also become one of the best set-piece specialists in the world and has become a cult hero at the Boleyn Ground.


Over 1000 guests saw Payet pick up his first award of the evening, sponsored by Shore Capital for being the top goalscorer this season.


The Frenchman has scored 12 goals which has included some unstoppable free-kicks against Bournemouth, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester United and Crystal Palace.


Payet quickly followed that up with the best goal of the season, sponsored by Chigwell Construction Ltd with his curling set-piece against Palace at the Boleyn Ground.


The third award was the Players' Player of the Year, sponsored by AsMatt Ltd which the talented star took great pride in accepting after his team-mates voted him the best player of the season.


Payet then secured the Signing of the Season sponsored by S14 VIP Ltd followed by the biggest award of the evening when he followed in the footsteps of Hammers legends such as Billy Bonds and Sir Trevor Brooking when he won the distinguished Hammer of the Year.


It was not all about Payet as a number of his team-mates also came away with some big awards at the London Hilton Hotel on Park Lane.


Few could forget Michail Antonio's winning strike against Tottenham at the Boleyn Ground and the Carlton Dance which followed.


That was enough to help him win the Best Individual Performance, sponsored by Peter Rayney Tax Consulting.


Darren Randolph picked up the save of the season, sponsored by Higgins Group for his triple save against Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup.


The Best Team performance, sponsored by Shore Capital was the Hammers dramatic comeback at Goodison Park against Everton when they came from two goals down to record a 3-2 victory.


There was a special mention for the Academy as Mark Noble took to the stage to talk about his progression through the youth ranks while Academy Director Terry Westley was honoured to award the Dylan Tombides Award, sponsored by Barry Stewart & Sons to talented youngster Declan Rice.


Rising star Reece Oxford was rewarded for his breakthrough into the first-team this season as he won the Young Hammer of the Year, sponsored by Ark Build.


West Ham United legend Paolo Di Canio received the Greatest Ever Goal at the Boleyn Ground award for his memorable strike against Wimbledon back in March 2000.


The other big award of the evening was picked up by Sir Geoff Hurst who won The Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by JM Sealants Limited.


It is especially relevant as we mark 50 years since Hurst and his team-mates famously won the Jules Rimet trophy back in 1966.