Midfielder delighted to win Town’s top award for 2019/20 season
- Lewis O’Brien on winning Town’s Player of the Year award
- Midfielder thanks the fans for their support
- Watch the full interview with Lewis on #HTTV!
Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien says it was a massive compliment to win the Hargreaves Memorial Player of the Year Trophy for the 2019/20 campaign.
The midfielder was voted for the award by the supporters off the back of an impressive breakthrough season in the First Team.
Having only made his Town debut in the second game of the season away at Queens Park Rangers, Lewis continued to assert himself as a regular in the Terriers side before going on to captain the team in the final game of the season at Millwall.
Catching up with #HTTV on the team’s first day back at Canalside for pre-season training, Town’s no.39 insists it was a surprise to win the accolade, becoming the first Town Academy graduate to do so since 2008.
“I didn’t really expect anything to come of this season so for the fans and everyone to vote for me to be Player of the Year is a massive shock but a massive compliment to me,” he said.
“It was a very surprising season for me. I came in thinking I’d be in and around the team, not actually playing week in week out like I did.
“To top it off with everyone voting me as Player of the Year is a big surprise.”
Lewis scooped the award having received a resounding 65% of the fans’ votes, collated in association with the Huddersfield Examiner.
The midfielder thanked the supporters for continuing to get behind him during his first twelve months in a First Team shirt.
“They’re obviously massive in every game.
“For every player when you hear a song made up about you as well, it gives you a bit more energy!
“Obviously, after the lockdown period, for them not to be there it was hard for us as a team and me as a player but hopefully they’ll be back soon, and they can keep us going.”
The Hargreaves Memorial Player of the Year Trophy is in fact the second personal post-season accolade the midfielder has picked up, having also won Town’s Goal of the Season award for his thundering strike at Barnsley back in January.
Lewis was delighted to add that accolade to what is now a growing collection of personal awards.
“I’ve not got a big enough house I don’t think for the two trophies!
“It’s very surprising to only score two goals in the season and for one of them to be named Goal of the Season by the fans is obviously massive as well.”
Having capped off an impressive first season in the senior side with the two awards, Lewis’, and Town’s, attentions now turn to preparing for the start of the 2020/21 campaign.
Speaking on the first day of pre-season, the midfielder expressed his delight at being back at the training ground and says he’s looking forward to working under new Head Coach Carlos Corberán.
“It’s a big task to play in-front of someone like him.
“I’ve heard a lot about him, and he seems like a person that I can play for in a good way.
“We’re all buzzing to be back. It’s our first day back and it’s kind of a fresh start for everyone.
“It was strange coming in and being a bit nervous because it’s a new season and new settings but everything’s the same so everyone’s buzzing to get that fresh start and restart.”
Watch the full interview below on #HTTV!
