The Brazil international became the 43rd recipient of the award - previously won by the likes of Alan Shearer, Kevin Keegan, Les Ferdinand, Shay Given and Peter Beardsley as well as Guimarães' current team-mates Allan Saint-Maximin, Fabian Schär, Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie - following a fantastic first 12 months as a Newcastle United player.

He arrived from Lyon in January 2022 with the Magpies in the Premier League relegation zone but his outstanding performances helped to inspire Eddie Howe's team to an improbable midtable finish before pushing for European football this term, as well as reaching the Carabao Cup final.

Guimarães also represented the club and his country at the World Cup in Qatar, making two appearances for Brazil in the tournament. Sunderland striker Ross Stewart came second in the voting by journalists in the region, with Kieran Trippier third.

Alan Shearer, Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe, first team coach Simon Weatherstone, Academy director Steve Harper and sporting director Dan Ashworth also attended the ceremony, while Guimarães was joined by his parents, Dick and Márcia, and partner Ana as he received the award from Colin Young of the North East Football Writers' Association.

"When I signed for the club, I wanted to put my name in the club's history," Guimarães told NUFC TV. "I always imagined good things when I signed, but if I said I could have been here today, I would have been lying.

"I'm so happy to be here. It has been an amazing year for me since I signed. It's very special; this is given by journalists, people that know football, and I'm very happy."

Long-serving former Magpies physio Derek Wright, who retired last summer after an incredible 38 years of service to the club, was also honoured on the night, sponsored by William Hill. He was presented with the Bob Cass Award by Shearer in recognition of his significant contribution to football in the North East.

Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson won the Young Player of the Year award while Durham Women's Sarah Robson was the winner of the Women's Player of the Year award for a second successive year.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation Personality of the Year award was presented by Harper to Jill Scott, who was part of the England Lionesses team which won last summer's European Championships as well as being crowned Queen of the Jungle in 2022's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.

The John Fotheringham Award went to former Middlesbrough manager Lennie Lawrence, while prominent ex-national journalist Doug Weatherall, now 90, belatedly received his award from 2020 after missing the last two ceremonies because of Covid.

And the achievements of non-league Gateshead and Marske United, who both won promotion last season, were also recognised with Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray, former Newcastle physio-turned-author Paul Ferris and Darlington legends Craig Liddle and Mark Prudhoe among the guests and BBC Radio 5 Live's chief football reporter Ian Dennis the host.