Plymouth Argyle fan Sue Pollard given Football League award
Last updated on .From the section Football
Plymouth Argyle supporter Sue Pollard has been named as the Football League's Fan of the Year.
As Argyle struggled through administration she helped raise funds for the staff affected by wage cuts.
She led supermarket bag-packing teams, rattled buckets outside matches and lobbied people to try and invest in the Home Park club.
"There's no Argyle fan more deserving of the award than Sue," said Plymouth president Chris Webb.
"She really put Argyle, the staff, the fans, before her own life this year and she deserves to be acknowledged for that."
During 2011 Argyle went into administration and were relegated to League Two, while players and staff members were forced to take wage cuts in order for the club to survive.
Last October the club was taken over by businessman James Brent and after a dreadful start to the campaign now stand a fighting chance of staying in the Football League.
"There was a lady who was just stunningly passionate about saving the club, it was totally selfless, she'd do anything for anyone," Brent told the BBC's Late Kick Off programme.
"Whether it was collecting in buckets in the rain, going and making that request for money that no-one else had the courage to make, she did it.
"She personified what a great community club's about in my view."
As for Pollard, who passionately supports the Pilgrims from the Devonport End at Home Park, she was clear as to why she felt she had to get involved.
"It was the staff and the way that they were being treated, that's what really got to me.
"Going through what we did, last year in particular, it's the lowest this club has ever been," she added.
Just two years ago Argyle were still in the Championship and fans had aims of one day being promoted to the Premier League.
Those dreams may be on hold for now, but Sue says that the biggest city in England never to have played top-flight football will rise up from the ashes of administration.
"It might take years, but one day we'll climb again," she said.
