EFL Awards: The History & Our Forecast
Established in 2006, EFL Awards is an annual ceremony where people involved in the three divisions of the English Football League are awarded prizes for their achievements from the last season.
Awards for Different Categories
Not only Championship, League One, and League Two players of the year receive awards, but this ceremony includes EFL Young Player of the Year, Apprentice Award, Goal of the Year, PFA Player in the Community, Community Club of the Year, Fan of the Year, Family Club of the Year, Sir Tom Finney Award, and Contribution to League football awards as well.
The First Award Winners
Experienced England defender Phil Jagielka is the first winner of the Championship Player of the Year award, with the 37-year-old winning the prize in 2006 during his spell with Sheffield United. At the same ceremony Swansea City forward Lee Trundle was named League One Player of the Year, with Karl Hawley (Carlisle United) winning the League Two Player of the Year award.
Jason Koumas impressed in the 2006/07 Championship campaign, with the Wales international scoring nine goals, while providing eleven assists for his teammates during the season. As a result, Koumas was named the Championship Player of the Year the 2007 ceremony.
Scunthorpe United striker Billy Sharp won the League One Player of the Year award, while Izale MacLeod was awarded League Two Player of the Year prize. It has to be noted that then Southampton footballer Gareth Bale was named The Football League Young Player of the Year.
EFL Awards: 2008 till 2018 Period
As for 2008 EFL awards, Kevin Phillips (WBA) won the Championship Player of the Year prize, with Jermaine Beckford (Leeds United) and Keith Andrews (MK Dons) being named League One Player of the Year and League Two Player of the Year respectively.
Sylvan Ebanks- Blake (Wolverhampton, 2009), Kevin Nolan (Newcastle United, 2010), Adel Taarabt (Queens Park Rangers, 2011), Rickie Lambert (Southampton, 2012), Matej Vydra (Watford, 2013), Danny Ings (Burnley, 2014), Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough, 2015), Andre Gray (Burnley, 2016), Anthony nockaert (Brighton, 2017), Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham, 2018), and Teemu Pukki (Norwich City, 2019) did well to win the Championship Player of the Year award in the past as well.
On the other hand, Matt Fryatt (Leicester City, 2009), Jermaine Beckford (Leeds United, 2010), Craig Mackail-Smith (Peterborough United, 2011), Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield Town, 2012), Matt Ritchie (Bournemouth, 2013), Adam Forshaw (Brentford, 2014), Joe Garner (Preston, 2015), Bradley Dack (Gillingham, 2016), Billy Sharp (Sheffield United, 2017), Bradley Dack (Blackburn Rovers, 2018), and James Collins (Luton Town, 2019) are the remaining League One Player of the Year award winners.
Experienced striker Grant Holt was scoring goals for fun in the 2008/2009 season, and, as a result, he was named the League Two Player of the Year at the 2009 ceremony. In 2010 Rochdale defender Craig Dawson won the award, with Ryan Lowe of Bury being awarded League Two Player of the Year prize in 2011.
The likes of Matt Richie (Swindon Town, 2012), Tom Pope (Port Vale, 2013), Gary Roberts (Chesterfield, 2014), Danny Mayor (Bury, 2015), Kemar Roofe (Oxford United, 2016), John Marquis (Doncaster Rovers, 2017), Billy Kee (Accrington Stanley, 2018), and James Norwood (Tranmere Rovers) winning the EFL award in the past as well.
Our Forecast for the Upcoming EFL Awards
Since Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion are the dominant forces in the 2019/20 Championship season, it should come as no surprise that the Whites attacker Patrick Bamford and the Baggies midfielder Matt Phillips are seen as one of the main favourites to win the 2020 Championship Player of the Year award.
Fulham attacker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has been impressive in front of goal in the 2019/20 season, should not be written off just yet as the Cottagers are still in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Considering that Wycombe Wanderers have been impressive at the back in the 2019/2020 season, it is no wonder defender Joe Jacobson is among the favourites to win the League One Player of the Year award.
Burton Albion midfielder Scott Fraser is enjoying a season to remember. The Brewers man has already provided a number of assists for his teammates, but if the Pirelli Stadium outfit fail to book their place in the play-offs, the 24-year-old is unlikely to win the League One Player of the Year award.
Peterborough attacking partnership of Ivan Toney and Mohamed Eisa has been in perfect working order this season as well, with the duo netting 28 goals in total ahead of Matchday 27.
The 2019/2020 League Two season is all about Swindon Town. The Robins are on the right track to return to secure promotion to the League One, with Ireland attacker Eoin Doyle being considered No. 1 favourite to win the League Two Player of the Year award.
The 31-year-old will almost certainly finish the season as the league’s top scorer, but it remains to be seen if that is going to help Swindon Town return to the English third tier.
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