Ben Turner is CCFPA’s Player of the Year

As a fitting end to the season the Sky Blues’ central defender Ben Turner was proclaimed Coventry City Former Players Association’s ‘Player of the Year’ at a presentation after the reading game in the G-Casino at the Ricoh.

Ben Turner & Billy Bell

Ben presented with the CCFPA award by Ian Bell (right)

Ben who had been out injured for much of the second half of the season was introduced to fans in Lady Gs by the Association’s Billy Bell and was presented with the award on the stage by ‘Coventry kid’ and England star cricketer Ian Bell (no relation!).

Ben said he was proud to receive the award especially given the fact he had not been able to feature for the Sky Blues in much of the season since a bad leg injury in November 2010. Billy paid tribute to Ben’s storming performances in the heart of the Sky Blues defence, to his leadership qualities as well as his being able to chip in with some vital goals in the early part of the season. The award was richly deserved and the Sky Blues would surely have finished much higher up the table if Ben had been able to make a bigger contribution to the season. The fans in Lady G’s who had voted for the award over the season gave Ben a rousing reception.

In honour of Ian Bell’s somewhat dubious support of the Birmingham side  Ben and Billy then led the multitude in  a chorus of a a somewhat scurrilous song about City’s arch rivals Aston Villa!