IT'S been another thrilling season of non-league football action and now we're looking to shine the spotlight on our stars of 2018/19.

With the help of Gazette readers, we want to assemble our very own dream team featuring the cream of north Essex talent.

Our non-league team of the year can feature players from any of the senior sides we cover, from National League Braintree Town through to the Thurlow Nunn League.

Iron players could get the nod or will our headline-grabbers come from Bostik League quartet Brightlingsea Regent, Heybridge Swifts, Maldon and Tiptree or Coggeshall Town?

There have also been some eye-catching performances from our step five players, from Thurlow Nunn League premier division pair FC Clacton and Brantham Athletic and Stanway Rovers, of the Essex Senior League.

Or will you be voting for players from Thurlow Nunn League first division south - talismen from Halstead Town, Wivenhoe Town, Harwich and Parkeston, Little Oakley, Holland FC, Coggeshall United, Brightlingsea Regent Reserves or Braintree Town Reserves?

First we need your nominations, which can be sent to our sports team via their individual Twitter handles - Matt Plummer (@MattPlummer4), Simon Spurgeon (@SimonSpurgeon) and Jonathan Waldron (@JonWaldron1). Alternatively, drop us a line via gazette.sport@newsquest.co.uk

Make it clear whether you're nominating a manager, goalkeeper, full-back, centre-back, winger, midfielder or striker.

When all the names are in, we'll narrow it down to a shortlist of five for each category and readers will have the chance to back their favourites by voting on the Gazette website (gazette-news.co.uk/sport).

Then we'll be close to reaching our all-star non-league XI.

"It's been another very exciting season," said sports reporter Matt Plummer.

"Non-league football has a strong following in this part of the world, players give everything for the cause and supporters are just as passionate as those of big professional clubs.

"As a newspaper, it's something we feel very strongly about and in terms of talent, excitement and raw emotion, it's a breath of fresh air. A real spectacle.

"That's why we want to honour and reward this year's star players - those who have shone for their respective teams - and we can't wait to see some of the names put forward by our readers."