It’s fair to say April is a tense month in English football, as teams up and down the country prepare for the business end of the season. However, it’s also a time for celebration for a lucky few, with the EFL Awards held at the start of April. The awards recognise outstanding performers and success stories from across the three EFL divisions – the Championship, League One and League Two…
Players of the year
Individual accolades were the talk of the night for many, with the player of the year award up for grabs in all three leagues. It was no surprise that Teemu Pukki scooped the Championship Player of the Year award. Scoring 26 goals in 37 matches for Norwich prior to the awards, Pukki was a clear favourite for bookmakers as redbet.
Elsewhere, the League One Player of the Year award was given to James Collins of Luton Town, while Tranmere’s James Norwood was named League Two Player of the Year. Both Norwood and Collins have managed a goal every two games on average since signing for their clubs, guiding Tranmere to their current League Two status and Luton to the top of League One.
While Pukki, Collins and Norwood were rewarded for their goalscoring frequency, it was a case of quality over quantity for Wolves’ Rúben Neves. The Portuguese midfielder was awarded Goal of the Year for his stunning 30-yard strike against Derby County.
Youth & community awards
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Derby though. After watching their goalkeeper beaten by Neves’ unstoppable effort, County’s Max Bird was handed the Apprentice Award for 2018-19. Having plied his trade in the Rams academy, Bird made his first league appearance in 2018, aged just 18.
Just a year older, Norwich’s Max Aarons was named EFL Young Player of the Year. The young full back has become a familiar face at Carrow Road, playing an important role in the Canaries’ return to the Premiership.
On the flipside, there were also awards for those going out of their way to promote football to the wider community. Rotherham United’s Will Vaulks won the PFA Player in the Community award, while Portsmouth and Doncaster were named Community Club of the Year and Family Club of the Year, respectively.
Sir Tom Finney Award
Since 2014, the EFL has awarded a chosen player with the Sir Tom Finney Award – recognising outstanding contribution to the football league. Previous recipients include veterans like Kevin Phillips, Kevin Davies and Rickie Lambert. However, in 2019, the award went to Rochdale’s Joe Thompson, for a story that’s truly extraordinary.
Thompson was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2013, while playing for Tranmere Rovers. The winger was released by the club following his recovery, eventually signing for Bury before moving onto Carlisle United. In 2016, he moved back to his hometown club, Rochdale, where he had begun his career.
His cancer returned in 2017, with doctors telling Thompson to forget about his career. Miraculously, after intense chemotherapy and isolation, the midfielder managed to make it back on the field within a year. Fast-forward to the final day of the season and Rochdale needed a win against Charlton to stay in League One. Thompson duly obliged, banging in the winner after being subbed on with 20 minutes to go.
All the other awards
Of course, it’s not just players. What would football be without the ref and the fans? David Allison was awarded for his Contribution to League Football, while Shrewsbury fans Roger Groves and Mike Davis won Fan of the Year.
Last but not least, here is your 2019 Team of the Season:
- Adam Davies – Goalkeeper, Barnsley
- Max Aarons – Defender, Norwich
- Krystian Pearce – Defender, Mansfield
- Liam Cooper – Defender, Leeds
- James Justin – Defender, Luton
- Alex Mowatt – Midfielder, Barnsley
- Jay O’Shea – Midfielder, Bury
- Jarrod Bowen – Midfielder, Hull
- Teemu Pukki – Forward, Norwich
- Billy Sharp – Forward, Sheffield United
- James Norwood – Forward, Tranmere
- Chris Wilder – Manager, Sheffield United