Club news

Connolly Nominated For Pl2 Award

By Kieran Cleeves • 07 December 2018

Brighton & Hove Albion under-23 striker Aaron Connolly has been nominated for November’s Premier League 2 Player of the Month award.

The 18-year-old has already been nominated for the award in August and September this season, but now has another chance to claim the prize after missing out on both occasions.

Connolly found the back of the net three times in league competition during November, most notably scoring a brace in Albion’s 3-2 victory over Swansea City towards the end of the month.

His other league goal came against Everton on the south coast, but the Toffees inflicted a second league defeat on the Seagulls, as Simon Rusk’s team were beaten 2-1.

The Irishman also bagged a hat-trick in the Checkatrade Trophy, as Albion twice came from behind to win 3-2 against League Two leaders MK Dons away from home.

It took his goal tally in the competition to five in three matches against EFL opponents, and also earned him a nomination for the Checkatrade Trophy Player of the Round award for Round One.

Connolly finds himself as the top goalscorer in the Premier League 2 Division 1 as it stands - scoring 11 times - but sits on 17 goals for the season across all competitions.

The following players provide Connolly with competition for the award — Daniel Butterworth (Blackburn Rovers), Nathangelo Markelo (Everton), Joshua Knight (Leicester City), Callum Morton (West Bromwich Albion) and Sadou Diallo (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

The six-man shortlist was decided by the Premier League’s Football Development Panel, after each Premier League 2 manager nominated the best performance by an opposing player in each of their matches throughout the month.

The winner of the award will be announced on Friday 14th December at 10am.