It was, in fact, a great night for Staffordshire's Sportsmen and Women. Commonwealth Games badminton Gold and silver medallist Tracey Hallam from Burton-upon-Trent was named Sportswoman of the Year, while Cannock Mens Hockey team won Team of the Year and the County's Under 13 Cricketers took the Junior Team award.

And completing the Staffordshire success story, there was a special presentation to the former Stoke City and England goalkeeper Gordon Banks, (pictured right) who was elected into the BBC Midlands Sporting Hall of Fame, forty years after playing his part in England's 1966 World Cup triumph.

Aston Villa were another of the night's big winners; captain Gareth Barry was present to receive the Midlands Footballer of the Year award, while his young teammate Gabriel Agbonlahor was named as one of the two BBC Local Radio Breakthrough Award winners. Warwickshire's teenage international table tennis player Kelly Sibley won the female award.

Worcestershire's former England batsman Graeme Hick picked up the Achievement Award in recognition of him becoming only the eighth batsman in history to score 100 first-class centuries for one county.

The evening's other awards went to Birchfield Harriers young Heptathlete, Jade Surman (Junior Sportswoman), Tamworth Athletics Club's Nathan Woodward (Junior Sportsman), while the World Wheelchair Crossbow shooting champion Iris Bingham from Rugby was victorious in the Disabled Sports person category. The Young Disabled sports person award went to Telford wheelchair athlete Mickey Bushell.

Cleobury Mortimer Rugby Club's achievement in becoming the first Shropshire Club to play in a Twickenham final last season was recognised when they were named Amateur Club of the Year, while Val Hanover from Oswestry (pictured left) made it a Shropshire double, when she was named as Midlands Sports' Unsung Hero after organising Special Olympics for thousands of people with learning difficulties in North Shropshire since 1978.

The fourth BBC Midlands Sports Awards were sponsored by Sport England, West Midlands and Birmingham City Council.

AWARD WINNERS 2006

SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
(by public vote)
Winner: PHIL TAYLOR (World Darts Champion from Stoke on Trent)
Runner-up: IAN BELL (Warwickshire & England cricketer)
3rd: MATT NEAL (British Touring Car Champion from Redditch)

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
PHIL TAYLOR - World Darts champion from Stoke on Trent.
Also nominated:
Ian Bell; Craig Fallon & Paul Manning.

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
TRACEY HALLAM
The Commonwealth Games badminton gold and silver and National champion medallist from Burton-upon-Trent, Staffs.
Also nominated:
Terri Dunning, Reanne Evans & Naomi Folkard

TEAM OF THE YEAR
CANNOCK HOCKEY CLUB
Premier League Champions for the fourth successive season
Also nominated:
Coventry Bees Speedway & Worcestershire CCC

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT
GRAEME HICK
Worcestershire & England cricketer who became only the eighth batsman in history to score 100 first-class centuries for one county.
Also nominated:
Nick Baxter & Roy Dunkley

JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN
JADE SURMAN
Britain's top junior heptathlete and World Schools long jump gold medallist. Belongs to the Bichfield Harriers Club.
Also nominated:
Meghan Beesley & Gemma Howell

JUNIOR SPORTSMAN
NATHAN WOODWARD
World Schools' Bronze medallist, and English Schools champion who set a new UK record in winning Gold in the 400metres hurdles at the UK Schools Games. Lives in Coleshill and belongs to Tamworth Athletics Club.
Also nominated:
Dan Evans & Dan Redfern

DISABLED SPORTSPERSON
IRIS BINGHAM
The World and European Wheelchair Crossbow shooting champion from Rugby.
Also nominated:
Sascha Kindred & David Stone

YOUNG DISABLED SPORTSPERSON
MICKEY BUSHELL
Birchfield Harriers wheelchair athlete who completed a hat-trick of victories in the London Marathon Wheelchair event and won 4 Golds at the British Championships along with a Silver at the World Junior Championships. Comes from Telford.
Also nominated:
Sam Scott & Jordanne Whiley

AMATEUR CLUB OF THE YEAR
CLEOBURY MORTIMER RUGBY CLUB
Who became the first club from Shropshire to play in a Twickenham final, in the Powergen Junior Vase.
Also nominated:
Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club & Tettenhall Tigers Volleyball Club

JUNIOR TEAM OF THE YEAR
STAFFORDSHIRE UNDER 13 CRICKET TEAM
Who became the first ever Minor County to win the National Age Group Cup.
Also nominated:
Tettenhall Tigers Volleyball Team & Worcester Whirls Girls Cricket Team

FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR
GARETH BARRY (Aston Villa and England )
Also nominated:
Curtis Davies (West Bromwich Albion) &
Gary McSheffrey (Birmingham City)

UNSUNG HERO
VAL HANOVER
(Who's run Special Olympics for thousands of people with learning difficulties in North Shropshire since 1978. Lives in Oswestry.
Also nominated:
Lorraine Barson (Malvern Hills Gymnastics Club)
Paul Bodley(Wednesfield Aces Cycle Speedway)
Colin Hough (Shrewsbury Amateur Boxing Club)
Irene Thompson (Coventry Trampolining Club)

BBC LOCAL RADIO BREAKTHROUGH AWARD Male winner - GABRIEL AGBONLAHOR
Aston Villa's exciting young striker who's burst onto the Premiership scene and into the England Under 21 side.
Also nominated:
Tom Carlon (Coventry Blaze Ice Hockey)
Jamie Cope (Stoke on Trent snooker pro)
Dan Redfern (Shropshire cricketer)
Simon Whatling (Worcester Warriors)

Female winner - KELLY SIBLEY
Winner of two table tennis Gold medals at the UK Schools Games and a triple national champion. From Leamington Spa.
Also nominated:
Gemma Howell (Junior British Girls judo champion)
Rachel Jennings (English Girls Golf champion)
Kate Walker (British judo champion)
Nikki Welsby (Formula Womens motor racing champion)

HALL OF FAME
GORDON BANKS OBE
Former Stoke City & England goalkeeper who was one of England's 1966 World Cup winning heroes.

Awards Galleries
Winners