Huddersfield enjoyed its greatest ever night at the Yorkshire Awards - scooping three of the top prizes.
The town dominated the 29th annual event, which recognises those who have made major contributions to the business, sport and cultural life of the county in the last 12 months.
It picked up three of the nine gongs during the glittering awards ceremony held at the Hilton Leeds City Hotel last night.
It was a sensational night for Huddersfield Town’s operations director Ann Hough who was named Yorkshire Woman of the Year.
The Sporting Achievement award went to Huddersfield-born cricket star Ryan Sidebottom.
And Huddersfield Choral Society hit all the right notes, picking up the Arts and Entertainment award.
Ann’s award was partly a recognition of Town’s success in reaching the Premier League on a relative shoestring.
It also reflected her service to the football club during good times and bad.
Ann, who came to the club in 1993 as personal assistant to the club secretary, is the longest serving of the club’s directors.
She commented on her win: “I’m very humbled. It’s a proud moment and I’m really quite shocked.
“I never expected this and I never thought, when I joined the club in 1993, what this job would go on to give me.”
Ann’s award win coincides with Town’s first season in English football’s top flight for 45 years.
Born in Marsh, she went to Royds Hall High School and Huddersfield New College
As club secretary she guided Town through administration in 2003 before being appointed to the board in 2007.
She is responsible for the club’s football administration and runs the match day operation at the club.
Ann added: “Promotion to the Premier League has been fantastic for the town and the supporters and also for all the businesses that have got on board.
“It has put Huddersfield on the map.”
Ryan, a former Yorkshire and England pace bowler, retired last month after 20 years as a professional cricketer.
The 39-year-old has been a familiar sight to cricket lovers ion the county and international circuit for two decades.
Educated at King James Grammar School in Almondbury, the left armer took well over 1,000 wickets in all formats of the game.
He won five County Championship titles with Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire and claimed a World Twenty20 success with England in 2010.
In all, he made 22 Test appearances for England, picking up 79 wickets and in recent times he has been the “old head” that helped Yorkshire County Cricket Club to their most sustained period of success since the late 1960s.
Ryan said: “It’s a great honour and I’m humbled and delighted to win this award.
“It’s a reflection on my career, I guess, but you don’t think about this kind of thing during your career.
“Instead you just try to contribute to the team, try to be a good guy and pass on your knowledge when you can.
“I’ve represented Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and England with pride.
“To win things along the way has been nice and, at a time like this you think about all the people who have helped you along the way,”
Huddersfield Choral Society was formed in 1836 and has long been recognised as one of the Uk’s finest choral societies.
The society enjoys a busy programme of classical music concerts throughout the year, performing alongside some of the UK’s greatest orchestras and leading conductors at Huddersfield Town Hall and at international venues.
The group regularly broadcasts on BBC Radio and television and has a long history of pioneering recordings.
This year the society performed three concerts in Toronto, Canada, with one of the UK’s most highly respected conductors, Sir Andrew Davis.
Society president Margaret Atkinson said: “It’s Huddersfield’s year.
“The town’s football club are in the Premier League, we like to think of ourselves as being in the Premier league of choral societies and Ryan Sidebottom has been a premier sportsman during his cricket career.
“It’s a real boost for us to have been given this award. I think the recognition that we are looked upon as good by others in the county will give everyone a lift.
“We hope this encourages people to come and join us or watch our concerts.”
