MOT View: Journalist shares winner of Leeds Players POTY, 29y/o fully deserving
Leeds United held their annual awards ceremony at Elland Road on Thursday night after lifting the Championship title the evening before.
Many fans were blindsided by that decision, with the club having offered the chance to virtually watch the ceremony online – something that didn’t happen.
It has been a crazy season in West Yorkshire, and there were many players up for different awards – just look at the Goal of the Season category as one example.
One of the easiest decisions was the Young Player of the Year, that award being snapped up by Brighton loanee Ben White.
Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross shared that result on his personal Twitter account, also revealing that Stuart Dallas had won the Players’ Player of the Year.
It would have been a close call between the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Luke Ayling, who both also played a massive role in claiming the title.
Dallas epitomises what it takes to play for Marcelo Bielsa. The 29-year-old came to the club years before the South American from Brentford and primarily played as a winger.
The Northern Ireland international struggled to get into the side back then when Leeds were in mid-table, and now he is indispensable as either a full-back or central midfielder.
Looking back at some of the key parts of the campaign, Dallas was involved in nearly every single one of them.
Phillips has picked up numerous injuries throughout the season, and it was the 29-year-old who was thrown into the deep end to fill that gap, something he did with ease at times.
Dallas saved three games for Leeds alone, the draws against both Preston and Luton, and the win away at Birmingham.
Birmingham kept coming back into the game, and who was it in the right place and the right time to score the fourth? Dallas.
It was towards the end of the game and despite playing a vital defensive role, Dallas was the furthest man forward and took his reward.
Dallas has been superb this season and has fully proved himself as a quality player under Bielsa, who has to take great credit for his turn in form.
We expected high levels of performances from the likes of Ayling and Phillips, but Dallas has propelled himself into that category of player this season and fully deserves this recognition.
In other Leeds United news, Kalvin Phillips shares delight with rarely-seen Whites talent for his extended role in final two games