After walking away with a top prize at The Non-League Paper’s National Game Awards in association with SCL, Clitheroe chairwoman Anne Barker admitted the team’s impressive efforts this season had been felt off the pitch too.

Barker headed to Stamford Bridge, the home of Premier League champions Chelsea, on Wednesday for the annual awards ceremony to celebrate the achievements and hard work from those involved with the game.

And her club was one of those in the spotlight as the players’ performances throughout the season were rewarded with the PFA Fairplay award.

Clitheroe were one of just two clubs in The NLP Fair Play table – alongside Whitby Town – not to receive a booking for dissent, abusive language or violent conduct.

They ended the season with 42 yellows in total but none for dissent, earning them the top gong with Barker admitting the efforts of the players had ensured a better atmosphere at the whole club.

“It’s unbelievable, but I can’t take the credit for this. That has to go to management team Simon Haworth and Gareth Roberts,” she said.

“They got the message that we needed to be better and they and the players have embraced us to get to Stamford Bridge for this award.

“We had too many dissent bookings last season, so when the board appointed Simon it was made clear to him that we had to improve on those areas – and it’s barely been too much of an effort.

“The personalities that they have, being so calm during a game, has fed into the dugout and onto the players on the pitch.

“When you get so far into the season and they realise they haven’t had a dissent booking, it’s an ongoing thing and they don’t want to get booked because they want to win that award.

“At the end of the season we were on tenterhooks, it only needs one moment to lose it, but thankfully that didn’t happen.

“I’m pleased because it’s made the ground a pleasant place to visit, people have noticed and said it’s a more relaxed atmosphere, generally good all-round.

“At the last count our attendances were up 38 per cent, I can’t attribute all that to the fair play, but people are coming to us and congratulating us to say how much they’ve enjoyed coming this season and I can’t argue with that.”

Clitheroe enjoyed a strong season, finishing seventh in the Evo-Stik Division One North and reaching the semi-finals of both the Lancs FA Challenge Trophy and The Integro League Cup.

And Barker was already eying up further success next year, determined to return to the annual awards night for further silverware.

“To have that recognition is perfect, I want to be back next year but with the Manager of the Year and the Team of the Year and the Player of the Year – but to be here at all is fantastic,” she added.

“At the moment it’s very even and, on their day, any club can beat any club which is what you want to see. We’ll be there again next season doing our bit.

“I’d like to say we were equal sixth, we were actually seventh because of goal difference, but we missed out on the play-offs by two points so you can’t be much closer.

“Next season will be the same. I’ve always told managers and players, whoever they are, to be the best they can be with the facilities we’ve got and who can argue with that?”

SCL are a government approved post-16 education provider in the sports sector who run Academy programmes with over 60 football, rugby and cricket, professional and grass roots sports clubs, foundations and community trusts. Find out more at www.wearescl.co.uk/education