Crystal Palace’s teenage starlet Nathaniel Clyne has been named FourFourTwo young player of the year.
The 18-year-old was ranked as the highest player under the age of 21 at the 2010 Football League Awards incorporating FourFourTwo’s top 50 Football League players at a gala dinner at Grosvenor House, Park Lane last night.
The defender received the accolade as a result of being ranked 17th in the top 50 which was announced on the night, pipping Nottingham Forest’s Paul Anderson and Southampton’s Adam Lallana to the young player of the year title.
Palace’s youth academy has long been admired and Clyne is the latest gem to come off its production line.
An attacking right-back, he was handed his first-team chance in October 2008 and so impressive were his performances that he became a mainstay of the side for the rest of the season.
He lost his place to Danny Butterfield at the beginning of this campaign but won it back in December and has started every game since.
Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney, said: "Once again, these awards have given us the opportunity to honour those clubs and individuals whose commitment to the game or their local community goes beyond the call of duty.
"The fifth Football League Awards have been an enormous success, and I congratulate all the winners on their achievements."
The overall number one spot in the top 50 went to Newcastle United’s striker Kevin Nolan, with Jermaine Beckford of Leeds United the highest ranked League One player and Craig Dawson of Rochdale the best from League Two.
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