With the player of the season award poll now closed and the trophy ready to be presented to the winner tomorrow, I thought I’d share some thoughts on other players who I think are worthy of being presented with accolades this season.

As many have pointed out it’s been a mixed bag this season results wise and that lack of consistency has made it harder to pick one player out for his overall contribution. However, it’s been a good season for the younger pros and I think that there are some players deserving of plaudits away from the main prize.

Breakthrough Young Player of the Year

One thing that has impressed me this season is that there have been so many younger players who have come through the ranks and have made their league and/or first team debuts – players like Will Packwood, Mitch Hancox, Callum Reilly, Koby Arthur, Reece Hales and also not forgetting Jack Butland who despite having caps for GB and for England hadn’t made a senior Blues appearance until this season.

There are two real standout picks for a player who has come from the academy/reserve teams to really cement themselves in the first team in Hancox and Reilly. Reilly held his place in the middle of the park despite older, more senior pros being fit again with a string of decent performances whilst Hancox has gone from third choice at the start of the season to being continually chosen on the teamsheet – pushing out Ben Gordon completely and forcing Paul Robinson to play at centre-back. It’s difficult to pick between the two, who have been firm friends at the club since both came to Wast Hills aged 8 but I think Mitch Hancox just edges it based on how much he has improved and how much he is virtually an automatic pick now.

Development Squad Player of the Year

I’m lucky enough to have seen quite a few of the Development squad fixtures this season and I have to say, I’ve been impressed by some of the young players who are “bubbling under” the first team squad. Ryan Higgins, who was taken on non-contract forms after being released by Everton at the end of last season has consistently done well at right back or right midfield and I’m not surprised that Nick Townsend has done well enough to get himself a regular spot out on loan having seen some of his remarkable shot stopping first hand. I’ll confess I had no idea who Reece Hales was at the start of the season but his workrate and his skill have propelled him to a cameo in the FA Cup at 17 and a first pro contract at the end of this season.

I’m of the belief that playing competitive reserve fixtures has benefitted Blues greatly; it’s given the younger players something to play for in those games and with the added bonus of getting the chance to play at the first team stadiums for some games home and away it’ll have been an education for them in how the step up to first team action is likely to be. The limitation on older squad members in the Development Squad team has forced coaches to bring through younger talent which has also enabled their development and it’s my personal belief that it might force teams to drop the amount of older pros within their ranks – which could have interesting consequences on how the league works.

The one player who has impressed me most in these Development Squad games has been one who has had the most to gain – without a contract and potentially being forced out of the game, this player has given his all for the team and was given a first team squad number in the second half of the season. That player is Ryan Higgins.

Under 18 Player of the Season

I will confess this is a harder category for me; I’ve only seen two FA Youth Cup games this season and thus I have to base my thoughts on those and the u18s I have seen for the Development Squad and the first team. However, in saying that it seems obvious to me that the level of ability in the u18s team this year  has been a marked improvement on players of recent years; there is a much larger concentration on improving skill and technical ability in the young players and as a consequence we have some youngsters who are really good on the ball and who want to play the game the right way.

In the u18 FA Youth Cup games I was impressed by winger Demarai Gray, midfielder Reece Brown along with the previously mentioned Hales. Gray is everything you want in a winger – tricky, nippy and the kind of player who loves to get past his man and get the ball in the box. Brown was like a pocket dynamo; he might be a little on the small side but his range of passing is excellent and as a playmaker in the centre of the park he was the heartbeat of the side. Hales reminds me of Geoff Horsfield – a bustling, big striker who uses his strength and excellent work rate to batter defences into submission and I suspect the kind of player Blues fans will immediately take to.

Honourable mentions have to go to Liam Truslove, who has looked very useful in the u21 team when I’ve seen him in midfield; James Fry who looks to have the capabilities of a proper rugged centre-half and is the captain of the u18 side and young Irish left back Bobby Moseley who is continuing the fine production line of left backs in the side following Mitch Hancox and Amari’i Bell. However, I’m going to go with Reece Hales as I think his rise has been meteoric this year and his attitude and workrate are an inspiration to his team mates.

Clubman of the year

This is one of my favourite awards that the club give out – an award to a player who has been under-rated, who has given their all and has generally been there for the team all season without too much in the way of plaudits. There is an obvious candidate for this award this season – the only player I felt guilty about leaving out of the Player of the Season nominations. This player came into the team after a trial and started off with just monthly contracts yet has never given less than his all on the pitch in every game he’s been involved in – even when played out of position. Not only all that, but from what I’ve seen he’s a leader on the pitch and someone for the younger players to look up to; and from what I’ve seen a thoroughly nice guy off the pitch. This player is Paul Robinson and I have to salute him for his outstanding contribution to the team this year.

As mentioned previously I will be presenting the Often Partisan “Player of the Season” trophy to the winner tomorrow at Wast Hills, and I will hopefully have some pictures of the man in question receiving the trophy to share with you all.

Tags: Bobby Moseley, Callum Reilly, Demarai Gray, Jack Butland, James Fry, Koby Arthur, Liam Truslove, Mitchell Hancox, Nick Townsend, Paul Robinson, Reece Brown, Reece Hales, Ryan Higgins, Will Packwood