The achievements of Chelsea FC Women’s Fran Kirby and Niamh Charles were recognised at the London Football Awards 2021.
Kirby pipped team-mate Pernille Harder and Arsenal trio Vivianne Miedema, Jennifer Beattie and Leah Williamson, to the Women’s Player of the Year award, while Charles saw off competition from Tottenham Hotspur’s Angela Addison and Arsenal’s Malin Gut, to scoop the Young Player of the Year prize.
Kirby, who has netted 21 goals in all competitions this season, told chelseafc.com: “It’s a real pleasure and honour to win. I know some amazing footballers have won it already.”
Charles, who joined the club from Liverpool in the summer, has impressed during her debut season and was recently rewarded for her performances with a first England senior call-up.
‘I’m grateful to have been nominated amongst some other great nominees and I’m really happy to have won it,’ said Charles.
It might have been a hat-trick of awards for the Blues but Emma Hayes missed out on Manager of the Year to David Moyes.
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