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Margaret’s work with the Bicester club, which she founded in 1964, was recognised as part of the Â鶹Éç South Sports Awards, held on the 2nd of December at the Grand De Vere Hotel, Southampton.

The ceremony, hosted by Â鶹Éç’s Sally Taylor and Roger Johnson, saw some of the region’s best sporting talent being recognised for their achievements, with Margaret Simons being named Â鶹Éç South Sports Personality of the Year.

Margaret, a former dinner lady, started the football club to give local youngsters something to do. She ran the club single-handedly until her retirement in 2001. However she remains a regular fixture and still lends her support from the touchline.

Following her success Margaret will join the other 14 Unsung Heroes finalists from across the country. These 15 regional winners will be joining the glittering Â鶹Éç Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony at the NEC in Birmingham, on Sunday December 9, where a UK winner will be chosen.

The Â鶹Éç South Sports Personality of the Year, as voted for by viewers, listeners & website users was Geoff Holt. More details can be found on Hampshire's website which is linked on the top right of this page.

The other Â鶹Éç South Sports Awards winners were:

MALE TEAM
Guildford Heat Basketball Club

FEMALE TEAM
GB Women's Quadruple Sculls
(Caversham, Berkshire)

DISABLED SPORTSPERSON
David Smith, World Boccia Champion
(Treloar College, Eastleigh)

YOUNG SPORTSPERSON
Adam Harrington, Gold medal swimmer
(Crawley)

YACHTSPERSON
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
(Southampton)

RACING
Tony McCoy, Champion jump jockey
(Lambourn, West Berkshire)

COACH
Mark Robinson – Sussex Country Cricket Coach
(Brighton)

CRICKETER
Dimitri Mascarenhas
(Southampton)

RUGBY PLAYER
Dan Cawley
(Bournemouth)

FOOTBALLER
David James
(Portsmouth)

NON LEAGUE TEAM
Salisbury City

SPORTSMAN
Geoff Holt – disabled yachtsman
(Shedfield)

SPORTSWOMAN
Sarah Ayton – Yachtswoman
(Weymouth)

UNSUNG HERO
Margaret Simons – founder of Bardwell FC
(Bicester, Oxford)