GUNNEDAH United celebrated a season that could see it start a new era.
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The Richard Grant-coached Northern Inland Football club is in talks with fellow Gunnedah side, Gunnedah Hawks, about merging.
It’s a match that could help make Gunnedah a powerhouse in the NIF’s Premier League (PL) Southern and Northern conferences.
This year the Hawks failed to make the PL semi-finals while Gunnedah finished fourth in the Southern Conference but was knocked out in extra time of the first week of the playoffs by a South Armidale side (4-3) that went on and made the grand final.
While South lost 6-2 to Oxley Vale Attunga, it could have easily been Gunnedah United playing for a PL title, club stalwart Richard Grant.
“Who knows what would have happened if we could have beaten Souths in that semi,” he said.
“It could have been us.
“But it was a good year for us regardless.
“We had a good night at the Park View too. They’ve been very good sponsors and supporters of us for a long while now and I think we can only get better although we do look like losing Matt Budden.
“He’s been a great player for us over many years, a real stalwart, but it looks like he has retired for sure.
“And Brad McIvor too maybe. He’d like to call it a day but whether he does we don’t know.
“But one thing for sure is we’ll definitely be playing in the PL next season.
“Whether it’s us alone or whether we merge with the Hawks we’ll find out in the next few weeks.
“We’ve been in talks with them and should know for sure shortly. We’ve been trying to get everyone on board because personally I think it would be great for the two clubs and for the town.
“I know most of the players are all keen but we are trying to include everybody in this.”
As for United, it finished the year with Andy Cygan as its player of the year.
“He just wandered into the Park View one afternoon early in the year and saw all our photos and memorabilia on the wall and said he’d like to be a part of this club,” Grant said.
“He has become a valuable member not just because he’s scored 17 or 18 goals.
“He’s become a real figurehead on and off the field .
“On the field he was great.
“Some of the games he wasn’t available we missed him enormously.”
Rob Pryor was named the club’s best and fairest, the 19-year-old farmer playing a number of different roles but mainly as an attacking midfielder on the right.
“He loves to score goals but we had two good strikers in Andy and Evan (Lee) but he was great in the middle and then loved any chance of playing up front,” Grant said.
Harley Cheetham returned to United in 2014 to win their Players Player Award.
Playing on the left side of midfield, he was consistently good every week and didn’t miss a game.
Jake Manley was named the most committed United player after making centre back his own position during the year.