Joe Dunne was today celebrating his runaway success as the Colchester United Player of the Year.
The popular former Republic of Ireland Under 21 international defender, released by the U's at the end of the season, polled almost 30 per cent of the votes cast in This Is Essex partner paper the Evening Gazette's poll'.
And on hearing the news today a stunned Dunne said: "That's brilliant - that's fantastic! It's a great honour and I can't thank the fans enough.
"It's a nice bonus to be so highly thought of by the fans, especially as the club has let me go."
Mike Collins of Queens Road, Dovercourt, will receive one of the newly designed U's shirts for next season - autographed by the players - as the lucky winner drawn from the phone poll.
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