Normally, it is the captain who makes the choice and presents the trophy, which would have meant that for the fifth season that he has been at the helm he had to preclude himself.

But his loyal and admiring squad believed he deserved the honour more than anyone.

So in a break with tradition at the club's annual dinner, loose head prop Nes, the only player to start in all 22 games of the campaign in which the team won the North One championship and promotion to newly-designated National Two (North), received the award from coach Shaun Cassidy.

And he praised the captain's significant contribution to what had been a "fantastic team achievement", recovering as Westoe did from a second-match 63-8 mauling at Hull, their title challengers to the end.

Cassidy told guests: "That took special people with a special mindset and belief in each other. The friendship of these guys is beyond anything I have known.

"I take my hat off to them. They did it for the love of this club and the love of rugby."

These sentiments were echoed by main coach Joe Shaw, the Newcastle Falcons back who came to Wood Terrace in 2004 at the start of the season – Nesbit's first as captain – in which Westoe were champions of North Two (East) and reached a Twickenham final in the National Intermediate Cup, albeit losing gallantly to Morley.

In what was a farewell, for he is leaving to "seek pastures new", Shaw declared: "These have been among the best years of my life. What you have here is something very special."

And he told the players: "I have more respect for you than at any club I have been a part of."

The players' player of the year trophy went to power-packed and versatile back James Fitzpatrick, who bulldozed his way to 14 tries, giving defences nightmares and winning Durham County honours along the way.

Other award winners were: prop Grant Walker (Colts), winger Peter Shaw (Fourths), versatile forward John Gregg (Thirds) and centre David Whitelaw (Seconds).

Shaw, 55, who did not take up the game until he was 40, said: "I decided to play another year to help young players come through and their progress has been my reward."

Runners-up Hull have also earned promotion with an emphatic 40-15 victory in a play-off with their Midlands One counterparts Chester.