KEEPER Jason Brown's season to remember has been climaxed with his winning of the prestigious Gillingham Independent Supporters' Club Player of the Year award.

The 20-year-old goalkeeper topped the poll from runner-up Paul Shaw with Chris Hope third.

His name will be added to some of the club's great players who have won the coveted award, dating back to the late, legendary John Simpson, Brian Yeo, Dick Tydeman, Steve Bruce, Terry Cochrane, Tony Cascarino and Gavin Peacock.

Brown's meteoric rise from Charlton reject to Wales Under-21 international has become one of the game's heart-warming stories. But for the first time in the award's 35-year history, the trophy may not be presented after club chairman Paul Scally wrote to all players, forbidding involvement in the presentation.

Last year's winner, skipper Paul Smith and Chris Hope were fined and disciplined by Mr Scally for attending the GISC awards presentations.

The club held a £50-a-head black tie dinner to make their own presentations at Priestfield on Sunday night. Mark Agate, secretary of the GISC, described Mr Scally's action as "regrettable."

He said: "Our award was first presented in 1968 and is the oldest. For the life of me I can't see why we cannot present it to the player our members have voted for. What harm would it do?

"The trophy was donated and paid for by the late television commentator and former club director Brian Moore."

The GISC choice of Supporter of the Year went to Nigel Holland in recognition of his work in forming the Gills Supporters' Trust.

Mr Holland, who will be 55 next week, was the first recipient of the old Evening Post Supporter of the Year award. He has supported the club since he was 11. He is acting chairman of the Trust.