Arbroath star Michael McKenna has thanked former loanee Joel Nouble after receiving his PFA Championship Player of the Year Award.
The Lichties talisman picked up the gong at the PFA awards dinner in Glasgow on Sunday night ahead of teammate Tam O’Brien, Scott Tiffoney of Partick and Killie’s Kyle Lafferty.
McKenna finished the league season as top scorer with 15 goals, an incredible feat for a part-time player let alone a midfielder.
In addition to that, he assisted 10 Lichties goals.
“I never expected this day to come, especially in the Championship,” he said after collecting his award.
“I’ve played in the lower leagues most of my life, and junior football. To be at the age of 31 and winning this is a great achievement for myself.”
Nouble impact
McKenna believes his personal success is partly down to Nouble, who was with the side on loan from Livingston until January.
The big Englishman scored five and provided four assists in his time at Gayfield, as well as causing havoc against numerous defences.
Three of the goals he set up were netted by McKenna.
“It has been a great season personally and as a team,” he said.
“The squad we have built up, the manager is different class.
“We’ve been really helped by the loan market this year.
“Big Joel Nouble especially, he helped my game.
“At the start of the season I got a lot of goals because of him and his game.
“I’m thankful for that – it gave me confidence to go into the second half of the season.”
Praise for Dick Campbell
McKenna also praised boss Dick Campbell’s management style for helping drive him forward.
The veteran boss brought the player to the Angus side in January 2018 and remains in contract until 2024 after penning an extension in December.
“His management style gets the best out of me as a player,” McKenna said.
“He doesn’t compliment me too much.
“He makes you feel like you need to do a bit more which suits the type of person I am.”
McKenna now looks to cap off a memorable season by helping guide the Lichties to the Premiership via the play-offs.
The part-timers will rest up until Tuesday May 10 when they face either Inverness of Partick.
McKenna is full of confidence after the heartbreak of narrowly missing out on the Championship title.
“We haven’t limped into the play-offs, we deserve to be there,” he added.
“We go into the play-offs as one of the best teams in the league.
“Nobody will want to play us, but I think we can do it.”
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