I-League champions Bengaluru FC gave a fitting end to what has been a historic season with the ‘BFC Awards Night’ at the Leela Palace, in Bangalore, on Tuesday.

The awards, meant to recognize and reward some special performances within the club in its debut season saw central defender Curtis Osano walk away with the ‘Players’ Player of the Year’ award while Sean Rooney’s thunderbolt against Mohun Bagan at the Salt Lake Stadium was adjudged the ‘Goal of the Season’.

The black tie event, hosted by multifaceted performer Ash Chandler, was attended by a host of celebrities and eminent sportspersons that included multiple Grand Slam winner Mahesh Bhupathi, Davis Cupper Rohan Bopanna and badminton star Ashwini Ponappa among others.

Twenty-year-old Siam Hanghal won the poll for ‘Fan’s Player of the Year’ while young Prashant Kalinga was named ‘Under-19 Player of the Year’. Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri grabbed the honours for ‘Highest Goal Scorer of the Season’. “When I was handed my new position on the left I was terribly upset since I had never played there. I Scored in my first start for the club against Rangdajied United but went on a long goalless streak. But there were people who backed me and never gave up on me and I would like to thank them for that,” said Chhetri who, with 14 goals, was also the joint top scorer of the League.

Osano, who received his award from BFC chairman Sajjan Jindal, was happily surprised at receiving the honour. “It feels brilliant that my teammates think this of me. I don’t think I can say anything more than ‘thank you’,” said an emotional Osano, who with John Johnson, has formed the most formidable central defending pair the League has seen this season. Johnson picked up the ‘Goal of the Season’.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of fans packed MG Road chanting behind the open-top bus that ferried the players of Bengaluru FC along with the I-League trophy. The unprecedented scenes continued all the way to the Bangalore Football Stadium where the team was brought out before the fans and the trophy was raised again when Bengaluru FC CEO Parth Jindal handed it over to coach Ashley Westwood before the fans who had thronged the Stadium.

THE BFC AWARD WINNERS

Players’ Player of the Season: Curtis Osano

Fan’s Player of the Season: Siam Hanghal

Best Goal of the Season: Sean Rooney [vs Mohun Bagan]

Highest Goal Scorer of the Season: Sunil Chhetri

Under-19 Player of the Season: Prashant Kalinga