The shortlists have been revealed ahead of the eagerly anticipated 2021 EFL Awards and Ivan Toney is up for one of the main prizes. The awards will be held on Thursday, 29 April, and broadcast live from 7:30pm on Sky Sports Football. Ivan, who joined The Bees from Peterborough United in the summer, is one of three players in the running for the Sky Bet Championship Player of the Year prize, along with Norwich City pair Emi Buendía and Teemu Pukki.
The 2021 EFL Awards celebrates and recognises the continued efforts and achievements of clubs, players and individuals during what has been an incredibly challenging season for everyone. Ivan will be competing for the Championship award in his first season with The Bees. He has scored 29 Sky Bet Championship goals and has also hit double figures in terms of assists as he competes with two Norwich players for the award
Pukki’s goals have once again fired Norwich to success as he looks to win this award for a second time after collecting the prize in 2019. Buendia’s performances have captivated supporters across the division, especially those in yellow. Pukki currently sits in second place at the top of the goalscoring charts on 25 goals, whilst Buendia has 28 goal contributions to his name, including a division-high 15 assists.
In Sky Bet League One, the honour of being named the best player in the division has been whittled down to three players crucial to their sides’ chances of promotion to the Championship. Hull City’s George Honeyman has led by example, becoming one of the best creative forces in English football, as the Tigers look to finish the season as League One champions following confirmation of their promotion to the Championship at the weekend. The top two goalscorers in the division complete the shortlist, with Sunderland AFC’s Charlie Wyke and Peterborough United’s Jonson Clarke-Harris enjoying stellar campaigns. Between them they have registered 54 league goals so far and will be eyeing up a few more before the season ends.
The shortlist for the League Two Player of the Season features a Cambridge United-double, as Paul Mullin and Wes Hoolahan join Forest Green Rovers’ Jamille Matt on the list. Mullin’s 29 league goals have catapulted the U’s into title-winning contention, while Hoolahan continues to show that age is just a number, turning out consistently influential performances at the tender age of 38 years. Rovers’ Jamille Matt has registered 16 goals so far this campaign with his side currently occupying one of the Play-Off positions.
The EA Sports Young Player of the Season shortlist consists of Blackburn Rovers’ Harvey Elliott, Reading’s Michael Olise and Max Aarons of Norwich City. As sponsor of the award, EA Sports will be hosting an online vote, which goes live on Wednesday 28 April, equating to 25 per cent of the overall result, with the other 75 per cent made up of votes from the EFL Awards judging panel.
Nominations were debated at length by an expert judging panel earlier this month, with votes also compiled for the Championship, League One and League Two Teams of the Season which will be announced live on the night. Other awards to be announced on the night include the Your Move Community Club of the Year and PFA Player in the Community. The Sir Tom Finney Award and Contribution to League Football Award, alongside the Screwfix Moment of the Season, will be announced on the night, as will the 2021 Mitre Goal of the Season.
2021 EFL AWARDS SHORTLIST
Sky Bet Championship Player of the Season
Emi Buendía – Norwich City
Teemu Pukki – Norwich City
Ivan Toney – Brentford
Sky Bet League One Player of the Season
Jonson Clarke-Harris – Peterborough United
George Honeyman – Hull City
Charlie Wyke – Sunderland AFC
Sky Bet League Two Player of the Season
Paul Mullin – Cambridge United
Wes Hoolahan – Cambridge United
Jamille Matt – Forest Green Rovers
EA Sports Young Player of the Season
Harvey Elliot – Blackburn Rovers
Michael Olise – Reading
Max Aarons – Norwich City
LFE Apprentice of the Year – Championship
Will Trueman – Sheffield Wednesday
LFE Apprentice of the Year – League One
Lewis Johnson – MK Dons
LFE Apprentice of the Year – League Two
Felix Miles – Cheltenham Town
Your Move Community Club of the Year
Sunderland AFC
Blackburn Rovers
Port Vale
Portsmouth
Bristol Rovers
Watford
PFA Players in the Community
Will Vaulks – Cardiff City
Alex Rodman – Bristol Rovers
Matty Dolan – Newport County
Sir Tom Finney, Contribution to League Football and Screwfix Moment of the Year Awards
To be announced on the night
2021 Mitre Goal of the Season