The Football League have now announced the first shortlists for the 2015-16 annual awards event.
Celebrating the on and off pitch successes in the League’s 72 member clubs, the annual event features ten specific categories and four of the shortlists have now been released, and Millwall find themselves nominated for the Family Club of the Year award.
21 clubs in total have made the opening shortlists, and so far the path is led by Charlton Athletic, Doncaster Rovers and Middlesbrough who each, so far, have two nominations.
The Awards ceremony later in the season will also be held in Manchester for the first time – Sunday April 17 – to coincide with the formation of the Football League in Manchester back in 1888.
Marketing Director of the league, Drew Barrand, explained.
‘The Football League Awards 2016 provides a platform for us to showcase the very best of what The Football League is all about. Once again, the standard of entries has gone up so those clubs and individuals included on the shortlists deserve real praise for their achievements. We wish all those nominated the best of luck and look forward to announcing the winners in April at what will be the first ever Football League Awards evening to be held in Manchester.’
The shortlists released so far, with the obligatory sponsors are:
The four category shortlists announced are:
Nickelodeon Family Club of the Year:
Doncaster Rovers
Fulham
Middlesbrough
Millwall
Oxford United
Stevenage
Johnstone`s Paint Community Club of the Year:
North East & Yorkshire – Rotherham United
North West – Burnley
Midlands – Burton Albion
London – Charlton Athletic
South East – Brighton & Hove Albion
South West & Wales – Cardiff City
PFA Player in the Community:
Danny Grainger (Carlisle United)
Andy Butler (Doncaster Rovers)
George Friend (Middlesbrough)
LFE Apprentice of the Year:
Championship
David Popa (Birmingham City)
Ademola Lookman (Charlton Athletic)
Mathew Hudson (Preston North End)
League 1
James Bree (Barnsley)
Bright Osayi-Samuel (Blackpool)
Thomas Smith (Swindon Town)
League 2
Hakeem Odoffin (Barnet) (now Wolves)
Frankie Musonda (Luton Town)
Ben Godfrey (York City) (now Norwich)
Further award shortlists to be announced are for the Mitre Goal of the Year, Capital One Supporter of the Year, Sky Bet Players of the Year, Football League Young Player of the Year, the Sir Tom Finney Award and the Contribution to League Football award.
This year also sees a new category introduced – the Football Manager Team of the Season – that will recognise the best eleven players and manager from across all three Football League divisions.