MOWATT THANKS 'TREMENDOUS' FANS

MOWATT THANKS \'TREMENDOUS\' FANS

Player of the Year thanks the supporters and reflects on his outstanding season...

Alex Mowatt paid tribute to the United supporters after claiming the prestigious Player of the Year award on Saturday night.

The homegrown midfielder, who scored nine times in 38 appearances during 2014/15, was also crowned the Players’ Player of the Year to cap a sensational second campaign as a first-teamer at Elland Road.

Fans voted in their thousands for Mowatt to claim the main award at the Centenary Pavilion, with the 20-year-old pipping fellow nominees Marco Silvestri, Sam Byram, Luke Murphy and Lewis Cook.

"The supporters have been with us home and away so I’d like to thank them for voting for me," the England Under-20s star said.

"The support has been tremendous this season.

"The last two seasons have been a dream really, being in the first team. I’d like to thank the managers and everyone at the Academy.

"All the staff, the physios and the fitness coaches have been a massive part of my career so far."

On his Players’ Player award, Mowatt added: "It’s great to be voted by my team-mates to be Players’ Player of the Year.

"A lot of the younger lads who I used to play with in the youth team, I now play with in the first team.

"The older lads have helped me as well. You get stick but the boys have been great this year."

The past season saw Mowatt acknowledged away from Elland Road, with November’s Football League Young Player of the Month award heading his way, as well as several Team of the Week inclusions and England youth team call-ups.

He says the thing which pleased him the most, though, was the vast improvement in his goal output after finding the net just once during his breakthrough campaign.

“I think I’ve progressed from last season which is what I wanted to do,” he said.

"I wanted to add more goals to my game and I’ve done that as well so I’ve been happy with myself.

“We’ve had ups and downs, but it’s mainly been ups since after Christmas.”

When asked about his personal highlight, “Just scoring goals, really”, was Alex’s modest reply. The goal which he believes was his finest, however, was also up for an award on Saturday evening.

“I enjoyed my Wolves goal the best but it didn’t lead to anything and we didn’t get any points out of it, so I’ll say my Wigan goal (was the best) because we got the three points out of that,” he said.

“It was a shock really, I’ve never hit one like that with my right foot. You could see by my celebration that I was shocked.”

Mowatt was utilised in a number of midfield roles over the course of the season, including stints on the left-wing, and says he has been keen to add that kind of versatility to his game.

“I just want to be an all-round midfield player really,” he explained. “I’ve played in quite a few positions this year.

“Wherever, I get asked to play, I’m happy to play there. I want to be an all-round midfielder.”

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