OMAR BUGIEL emerged from the playing shadow of Ali al-Hamadi to stamp his influence on the Dons to finish with 14 goals last season and earn a new two-year deal with Wimbledon.
In his first season since joining from neighbouring Sutton United, Bugiel forged a reputation as an unselfish hard-working focal point of the attack and grew in stature and importance following the mid-season departure of al-Hamadi to Premier League-bound Ipswich Town.
Bugiel, who turned 30 last January, was voted as the WDSA 2023-24 WDSA Player of the Season award in an incredibly tight tussle with Jack Currie (now with Oxford United).
His accolade came despite spending much of the month of January playing for Lebanon in the Asian Cup along with appearances for the Cedars in two World Cup qualifiers in Australia in March.
Bugiel finished an impressive maiden season for the Dons with a hat-trick in the 5-1 final day win over Walsall at Plough Lane.
Upon signing his new deal in April, Bugiel said: “From day one when I signed here I told everyone what I was all about and I’m pretty sure that I’ve backed that up this year. I’ve tried to perform week in and week out, aiming to be consistent, and it’s great to extend my stay here. There was a lot of interest in me, but deep down I feel this is my home. I want to give everything for the Club in the next two years.”
Bugiel is an integral player for Johnnie Jackson going forward. “He’s massive a part of what we want to do here, and he gets it. He’s enjoyed it as much as we’ve enjoyed him. It’s a really good fit all round. He’s a proper Wimbledon player and he leaves his heart and soul out there. He gives everything for the shirt, he’s a really good player as well.”
In an interesting off-season development Bugiel will be joined in the forward this season by Joe Pigott, on loan from Leyton Orient, Pigott was the 2021-22 winner of the WDSA POTS.
Currie actually tallied more major votes than Bugiel 13 to 12 and finished runner-up in the WDSA award for the second successive season after Ali al-Hamadi won last season’s poll.
Skipper Jake Reeves and on-loan goalkeeper Alex Bass finished joint third on 22. Al-Hamadi, despite leaving in the mid-season transfer window, tallied 14 votes in fifth.
WDSA Player of the Season 2023-24 voting:
93 — OMAR BUGIEL
92 — Jack Currie
22 — Jake Reeves, Alex Bass
14 — Ali al-Hamadi
5 — Joe Lewis, Lee Brown
3 — Ronan Curtis
1 — James Tilley
PAST WINNERS: 1986-87 JOHN FASHANU; 1987-88 JOHN FASHANU; 1988-89 DENNIS WISE; 1989-90 HANS SEGERS; 1990-91 JOHN FASHANU; 1991-92 ROBBIE EARLE; 1992-93 JOHN SCALES; 1993-94 DEAN HOLDSWORTH; 1994-95 WARREN BARTON; 1995-96 OYVIND LEONHARDSEN; 1996-97 CHRIS PERRY; 1997-98 MICHAEL HUGHES; 1998-99 JASON EUELL; 1999-2000 NEIL SULLIVAN; 2000-01 KELVIN DAVIS; 2001-02 KENNY CUNNINGHAM; 2002-03 KEVIN COOPER (AFCW); 2003-04 MATT EVERARD; 2004-05 RICHARD BUTLER; 2005-06 ANDY LITTLE; 2006-07 ANTONY HOWARD; 2007-08 JASON GOODLIFFE; 2008-09 BEN JUDGE; 2009-10 DANNY KEDWELL; 2010-11 SEB BROWN; 2011-12 JACK MIDSON; 2012-13 JACK MIDSON; 2013-14 BARRY FULLER; 2014-15 JAMES SHEA.; 2015-16 PAUL ROBINSON; 2016-17 TOM ELLIOT; 2017-18 DEJI OSHILAJA; 2018-19 WILL NIGHTINGALE; 2019-20 MARCUS FORSS; 2020-21 JOE PIGOTT; 2021-22 JACK RUDONI; 2022-23 ALI al-HAMADI