St Andrews United: Lewis Sawers' 32-goal haul hailed by boss Robbie Raeside after player scoops four club awards

Saints, who finished second in the second division with 77 points from their 32 fixtures, owe a lot to the prolific 22-year-old Sawers who scooped Players’ Player of the Season, Committee Player of the Season, Supporters’ Player of the Season and Top Scorer prizes at the club’s end of season awards night last weekend.

“Lewis has been a top performer for us,” Raeside said. “I’m delighted for him.

"He has resurrected his career at St Andrews United.

"St Andrews has been good for him and he’s certainly been good for St Andrews.

"He got a new contract last summer and that’s probably the best bit of business that myself and the chairman Fraser Ogston did.

"Lewis was put on a two-year deal and he’s certainly rewarded us. He has been fantastic, we’ve been really pleased with him.

"That’s despite the fact that in the last month of the season he’s not had his troubles to seek.

"He's had an illness and he’s struggled, but he’s tried to make himself available when he’s not been 100% and that's been appreciated as well.

"He’s definitely committed to the club and he’s certainly not available for transfer because I know that there will be suitors out there.

"I’ve spoken to him and he’s worked with my assistant Garry Wright as well, knowing him from his time as a youngster at Dunfermline.

"We’re both happy with Lewis and he’s delighted to stay and try and help us get promoted to the premier league.”

Sawers, who joined United in October 2021 after leaving Crossgates Primrose, had started his senior career on the books of Dunfermline Athletic Reserves.

Raeside, 50, who took over the Saints job last year, added: “When I came in with Steve Fallon towards the end of the 2021-22 season, Lewis had had an ankle injury at St Andrews and I’d only seen him in a couple of games.

"But in the last two games of that season he’d done very well and as soon as I saw that I thought I would get him on another contract.

"And it was the best bit of business myself and Fraser did.

"Garry Wright had said to me that Lewis had been on the bench at Crossgates and wasn’t getting a game.

"And I think Garry had been very heavily involved in getting Lewis to St Andrews.

"You forget that Lewis is still a young player.

"He has great pace, his movement is good. I like to think we’ve helped him a bit with that but I think that can still improve.

"And he is a good finisher. You don’t score that number of goals through not being that.

"He has scored a number of penalties but I don’t want to put him down by saying that as it’s part of the game where you’ve got to put the ball in the net as well.”

As our pictures by John Stevenson show, last weekend’s awards also saw prizes handed out to Terry Mitchell, Lindsey Lawrie and Scott and Murdo Mackintosh.