DAVID Perkins scooped four awards at last night’s Player of the Year dinner.

DAVID Perkins scooped four awards at last night’s Player of the Year dinner.

The 28-year-old midfielder received the Official Player, Players’ Player and both Supporters’ Player of the Year Awards to complete a remarkable personal turnaround at the club.

The blond-haired midfielder put in a transfer request after manager Paul Lambert left the club at the start of the 2009/10 season, stating that he wanted to find a northern club so he could be nearer his native Lancashire.

As a result he spent the entirety of Aidy Boothroyd’s time as manager out on loan to League Two clubs Chesterfield and Stockport with his permanent departure only looking a matter of time.

However, after John Ward took over as manager last summer, Perkins decided to give it another try in Essex and proceeded to produce a superb campaign.

He has been a virtual ever-present for the side, making 41 appearances, with his energetic displays in the middle of the park proving invaluable.

Due to be out-of-contract this summer, Ward is currently negotiating a new deal with the former Rochdale and Morecambe midfielder who missed the last six games with a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Ben Coker capped his own remarkable season by being named Young Player of the Year.

This time last year the 21-year-old left-back had just finished a campaign at Step Four of non-league with Suffolk side Bury Town.

The U’s took a gamble on him though and, after impressing during a loan spell at Essex non-league side Chelmsford in the first half of the season, he took his first team chance in League One with aplomb when Marc Tierney was sold to Norwich in January.

Elsewhere, striker Steven Gillespie was named Community Player of the Year, while Andy Bond’s outside of the boot strike against Sheffield Wednesday was named Goal of the Season.