TWO sisters who are life-long Burton Albion supporters have been jointly named the club’s Fans of the Year.
Kay Bailey and Tracy Dunsdon will share the 2017 award after being selected from more than 30 nominations by a panel that included Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough.
They were presented with the George Rider Memorial Trophy during half-time at the Brewers final home game of the season on Sunday.
The Fan of the Year is an annual award for a supporter who has shown dedication and commitment beyond the norm in following the Brewers over the course of the season.
The trophy has been donated by Margaret Morton, whose grandfather George Rider was a long-standing Brewers fan.
The sisters were nominated by Laura MacVicar.
She said: “I would like to nominate both my mum and my auntie, Kay Bailey and Tracy Dunsdon, to share the Fan of the Year award.
“The sisters have been life-long Brewers fans, never missing a game, they even take their shirts around the world on holidays to support the Brewers if they are abroad!
“What really brought home to me what the club means to them was when my nan and grandad became ill, and they became carers for them. Coming to the games was there only 'me' time and watching them play and succeed as they have done was the only thing that got them through such difficult times, it was their 'therapy'.
“Sadly both my nan and grandad have passed away, and again coming to the matches and focusing so much on the Brewers success has got them them through the most difficult time of their lives.
"My mum has since turned caring into her profession and takes time out every week to pick one of her clients up and bring them to the home games with her.
“She also has two cats, conveniently named Billy and Bettie!
“So many special times have been spent at the club for both of them, including my auntie’s 50th birthday - all she wanted was her close family and friends to be in hospitality for a game!
“Both my mum and auntie cannot thank the club and players enough for what they have helped and supported them through over the years and I think they truly deserve to be awarded Fan of the Year this year.”
It was an incredibly difficult decision to select winners from a host of very deserving nominees this year.
Nigel Clough said: “I would like to thank all our fans for their incredible support this year which is greatly appreciated by all the coaching staff and players. The Fan of the Year was a very hard decision because we have so many supporters who go above and beyond in their devotion to Burton Albion. Every nominee would have been a worthy winner.”