One of our most popular Player of the Year winners in the past couple of decades was 2005 winner and all-round good guy, Youl Mawene.
We’ve been speaking to as many former Player of the Year winners since its’ inception in 1968, as we look ahead to the 5,000th game, upon resumption, and the French defender spoke to iFollow PNE from his home during lockdown.
In a long chat, the centre half reflected on coming through the system in his home country, lining up against Thierry Henry and a number of World Cup winning French internationals in the UEFA Cup semi-final in one of his first games, plus about how his move to England came about.
The Caen-born player, now the fitness coach down the Fylde coast at Fleetwood Town, also talks about his departure from Derby and arrival at Deepdale.
He discusses that first, Player of the Year-winning season, which ended with Play-Off Final defeat at the Millennium Stadium, along with his other Play-Off experiences and the disappointment of his season ending injury during pre-season in 2006/07.
Youl talks extensively about his managers, team-mates and how Lancashire has become his ‘home’, with the Mawene name still connected with the club, with his sons registered with the Academy.
To watch the full interview, just click on the video at the top of the page and come back tomorrow when we will have another of our interviews, with the likes of Jon Macken, Richard Cresswell, Jeff Wrightson and loads more to come in the next couple of weeks.
Just click here now to find all of the interviews we have already updated, including the weekend’s content with 2017 recipient Aiden McGeady.