Nigerian born player bags prestigious award in England (photo)
– A young Nigerian has won the LFE Apprentice award for the year 2016 – Ademola Lookman was recognised for his outstanding performances on the pitch and in the classroom An 18-year-old Nigerian Ademola Lookman has bagged a prestigious award for his outstanding achievement on the pitch and in the classroom at the Football League […]
The post Nigerian born player bags prestigious award in England (photo) appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.
– A young Nigerian has won the LFE Apprentice award for the year 2016
– Ademola Lookman was recognised for his outstanding performances on the pitch and in the classroom
An 18-year-old Nigerian Ademola Lookman has bagged a prestigious award for his outstanding achievement on the pitch and in the classroom at the Football League awards on Sunday, April 17.
The Charlton Athletic player was crowned as the Championship’s LFE Apprentice of the Year 2016 at the awards.
Ademola Lookman poses with the LFE apprentice of the year award
The accolade recognises a young professional who has excelled both on the pitch and in the classroom during the 2015/16 campaign.
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It was reported that the youngster joined Charlton in May 2014, scoring 17 goals in 28 appearances for the U18s in his first season, a feat which earned him a rapid transition into the first team.
Lookman said: “This is a great honour for me and my family to be recognised for such a prestigious award. Charlton has a great reputation for producing young players and I’d like to thank the club and all of the staff for mentoring me, supporting me and giving me the platform to play first-team football.
“If I look at the position I was in last year, I never would have thought that I would be where I am today. This is a very proud moment for me.”
Academy Manager Steve Avory and Head of Academy Education and Welfare Joe Francis have expressed delight, having monitored the player since his arrival in SE7.
“We are so pleased for Ademola and we were also very proud that for the second year running we had a player nominated for this award,” Avory started.
“The award is not purely based around football, but also what the apprentice achieves in their overall scholarship, including education, and Ademola is achieving very well is both respects.
“He very much keeps in contact with the academy. An example of that came a few weeks ago when the U18s were leaving the training ground to go up to Leeds. He came onto the coach and wished everyone all the best, and that is typical of the young man.”
Francis added that the player merits the award, which is a good one for him and the club.
“This is great news for the club and Ademola, and he is fully deserving of this award. He is a very humble young man that understands the importance of developing not only as a player but also as a person.
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“He has been a joy to work with over the last two years and by the end of his scholarship he will have achieved the equivalent of three A-levels, which only one of player in his year has done.
‘When you consider that this has come alongside his commitment of playing first-team football, it just shows what a driven young man he is,” he said.
The post Nigerian born player bags prestigious award in England (photo) appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.