PALMER, L.JAMES, CARTER, GILCHRIST, KATIE COX PICK UP CHELSEA PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
After getting canceled last year on account of us (well, the men’s team) being beyond horrible, the Chelsea End of Season Awards gala was back this year, held last night at Stamford Bridge.
Among those recognized were Conor Gallagher and Zećira Mušović for their work in the local community, as well as the winners of the club’s Player of the Year voting of course.
On the men’s side, entirely unsurprisingly, it was Cole Palmer who walked away with what was surely a most lopsided victory. Adding weight to Palmer’s ice-cold accomplishments was him winning the Players’ Player of the Year award as well!
On the women’s side, the winner was also never in doubt, with Lauren James winning Player of the Year for the first time.
I think she also got the best jacket award, or at least would have if we had one.
And it was great to see Jess Carter recognized, as she picked up the Players’ Player of the Year award. Let’s get that contract extension sorted please!
Among the Academy’s best, it were Alfie Gilchrist and Katie Cox who were recognized. Cox, 18, was recently spotted on the bench in our Champions League match against Ajax, though she has yet to make her first-team debut. Gilchrist, 20, meanwhile has already become a bit of a cult hero, as much for his play as for his attitude, having made 16 appearances, including 5 starts across all competitions for the first-team.
Gilchrist is the tenth recipient of our Academy Player of the Year award, which was first given out in 2015. Nine of those ten, including him already, have already established themselves at Premier League (or equivalent) level (Solanke, Tomori, Mount, James, Gallagher, Gilmour, Livramento, Hall; Harvey Vale the lone exception ... so far).