A CUMNOCK Juniors stalwart has been honoured in the town.

Club secretary, George Morton has been named Cumnock Citizen of the Year for 2016.

George, 73, will pick up the winner's trophy at a later date at a plush award ceremony.

He was one of several nominations received for consideration by the committee and was nominated for the work he has done for Cumnock Juniors for more than 40 years.

A former player for the club, George has been secretary for many years during which time he has served the club admirably.

George has also had the great honour of having been president of both the West of Scotland and Scottish Junior Football Associations and continues to serve as a member of the West of Scotland management committee.

He has worked tirelessly in all his positions and is a well known and respected figure in Junior Football circles.

He is also currently chairman of Cumnock Juniors Enterprise Trust which has been responsible for all the upgrading of the facilities at Townhead Park.

A delighted George said: “I was nominated by my two nieces, Kay and Brenda. It was a complete surprise. I had no idea.

“I’ve been at Cumnock Juniors for a long time and I’ve done many different jobs with the club and in the community.

“It’s a great honour to been given the award.”

Cumnock Juniors president, Willie McVake said: “We’re very proud as a club. It’s a very big honour and we are all delighted of George. It’s very well deserved.

“It’s a fantastic award for all of George’s unpaid work he has done for Cumnock Juniors for over 40 years.

“George is a really well known guy in the juniors and everybody knows him. He’s very well respected. What George doesn’t know about junior football isn’t worth knowing.

“I’ve been to SJFA meetings with George where there are representatives from over 100 Scottish clubs ad at the end of the meeting they all ran to him to get his advice.

“He’s worked very hard, without being paid, for the juniors for more than 40 years and more recently he was involved and took a key role in the redevelopment of the park.

“It’s very well deserved.”

The Keir McTurk Memorial Rosebowl will be presented to George on a date still to be arranged at Dumfries House.