As Lifetime Achievement awards go, there could be few more fitting recipients.

And sure enough, the commitment and dedication to local football of Angela Nicholls was rewarded last week when she was honoured in the FAW Trust McDonald’s Community Football Awards for 2017.

Angela, the head teacher at St Teilo’s Primary School, was confirmed as the winner of the Lifetime Achievement category, and presented with her trophy at the Cardiff City Stadium by Ian Rush last Saturday before Wales’ World Cup qualifier against Austria.

She had already been deemed the West Wales regional winner earlier this year, and then was subsequently chosen above three nominations as the national winner by a panel that included current Welsh manager Chris Coleman.

And Angela, 58, admitted to being shocked when she received the news via a phone call from Tom Keohane of the FAW Trust.

“I knew the panel were making a decision but when I had the call I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry,” she told Telegraph Sport.

“I was both humbled and amazed.”

So her and daughter Angharad, herself a former Tenby Ladies and Pembrokeshire County footballer, travelled to Cardiff on the weekend as guests of honour, and as well as the presentation from Rush, met Ryan Giggs and were introduced to a capacity crowd at half time.

 And few would begrudge Angela’s achievement, as the honour is just reward for her continued contribution to football in the area, and incredibly, she is now in her 37th season with Tenby AFC.

Her association with the game began aged 11 when played for Brighton Ladies, and she would go on to represent Sussex Ladies and have England trials before moving to Pembrokeshire in 1980.

Sadly, football wasn’t as accessible for females in the county as it is now, and with the nearest side being in Cardiff, she opted to play hockey before getting into football coaching with The Seasiders.

She has since overseen the running of many junior male and female teams at the club, as well as a senior ladies side, and remarkably, has already taken two boys sides from the age of six right through to 16, when they then become eligible for senior football.

One particular success story from the latter group is Joe Allen, who of course was picked up from the club by Swansea City – and Angela is now well into her third ten-year cycle, currently coaching the under 12s side having again started out with them when players were just six years old.

Last season, when at under 11 level, the squad embarked on a tour of Villareal in Spain, a trip Angela described as a ‘great experience’ for all involved.

But her contribution to the sport has extended way beyond Tenby AFC.

She spent ten years helping run and coach the Haverfordwest Academy, twice seeing her squad crowned Welsh champions – has helped coach the County Ladies at senior level and has enjoyed 20 years of involvement with Pembrokeshire Primary School sides in the national Tom Yeoman Shield competition.

Indeed, only last season the Under 11s were declared joint champions of Wales.

And just for good measure, Angela also runs soccer schools for Tenby AFC in order to help promote the club to youngsters.

“I just enjoy it all,” she said.

“Seeing children grasping new skills and enjoying themselves is great, and I like having the chance to teach and coach them.

“I couldn’t imagine a life without football.”

Also declared regional winners in the FAW Trust Awards were Emily Ardran, who qualified as a national finalist in the Volunteer of the Year section, and the Neyland Pirates, who were up for the award for biggest Grassroots Impact.

Sadly, neither were chosen as national winners, but their West Wales awards still represent a huge achievement and Telegraph Sport congratulates all involved.