Carlisle United's Max Kilsby wins award at Annan Athletic

And Carlisle United’s Max Kilsby will head into the play-offs as an award winner at the Scottish League Two club.

The young Blues defender, who has spent the full campaign on loan with Annan, was voted young player of the season at Galabank.

It underlines Kilsby’s impressive contribution to Annan’s 2022/23 season, when he has been a regular in Peter Murphy’s defence.

The 19-year-old has chalked up 30 league appearances, including 29 starts, helping Annan secure a play-off place.

He was in their side at the weekend as a 0-0 draw at home to Bonnyrigg Rose made their play-off spot mathematically certain.

Annan play their final game of the league campaign at Stenhousemuir this weekend – before getting ready for the end-of-season shootout, when they will aim to go one better than last season, when they lost to Edinburgh City in the League Two play-off final.

Peter Murphy

Annan are third, a point ahead of East Fife, and victory on Saturday would set up a semi-final against Dumbarton, with Annan at home in the first leg.

Should they be overtaken by East Fife on the final day, Murphy’s side will take on Clyde – the ninth-placed side in Scottish League One, again with the home leg first.

Murphy recently told the News & Star he was impressed with the way Kilsby had progressed during his season at Annan.

“When he came in, at first I think he got a bit of a shock to what this league was about, which can be the case with any young player,” the Annan boss and Blues legend said of the first-year United pro.

“We had to leave him out for a couple of games until he was aware of it – but since then he’s grown immensely.

“He’s grown physically and mentally, and he's come right out of his shell.

“He's quite a quiet boy, but the players absolutely love him.

“He’s growing as a player, developing and taken on board what competitive league football is on a Saturday – and he just wants to learn.”

Other awards at Annan went to Aidan Smith, who was supporters' player of the year, Tommy Goss who was players' player of the year, Reece Lyon who was named coaches' player of the year and directors' player of the year, and Willie Gibson who won goal of the season.