Kasper Schmeichel Wins Player Of The Season

- Kasper Schmeichel named Player of the Season at Leicester City’s 2016/17 Season Awards 
- The Foxes stopper also picked up the Players’ Player of the Season award 
- Wilfred Ndidi won Young Player of the Season, while Danny Drinkwater scooped the Goal of the Season award
- The first team squad were all in attendance at King Power Stadium on Monday night 

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was named Player of the Season by the Club’s supporters at Leicester City’s 2016/17 Season Awards on Monday evening. 

The Denmark international first scooped Players’ Player of the Season before bagging the night’s main award by earning over 75% of the Blue Army’s online vote. 

Over the past few seasons, Schmeichel, 30, has built a reputation as one of the most talented shot-stoppers in the country and his performances this term have not gone unnoticed by both the Club’s fans and players. 

Instrumental to City’s success in Europe this term, he kept four clean sheets in his first four UEFA Champions League appearances and conceded a total of just three goals in eight games. 

Two incredible penalty saves in the last-16 tie with Sevilla helped the Foxes qualify for the quarter-finals of the most prestigious club competition in the world, while the former Manchester City man has also continued to excel in England’s top flight. 

Speaking exclusively to LCFC TV, Schmeichel said: “I'm overwhelmed. I'm very proud because there are a lot of worthy competitors in the team for this award. I'm proud and happy and for me, I won this award the first season I was here, so to win it again is a big honour.  

"I'm hugely grateful for the fans' support. We've certainly had our shares of ups and downs throughout the seasons here with the Play-Off loss, promotion, nearly getting relegated and then winning the league. 

"It's been very important for us to have the backing of the fans all the way through. From the first day that I stepped in the door, I've felt the warmth of the fans. They've been magnificent and I think the atmosphere that they create at the stadium and away from home is second to none."

The evening, hosted by renowned presenter and Leicester local Manish Bhasin, provided a fitting reflection on a season in which the Foxes proudly wore the Premier League champions badge on their sleeves. 

A thrilling run to the last-eight of the Champions League saw City go head-to-head with some of Europe’s elite outfits, while a dramatic upturn in Premier League results meant they secured their top-flight status with three games to play. 

The first award to be handed out on the evening went to versatile defender Alex Pascanu, who was named Academy Player of the Season. 

The Romania youth international has impressed at Under-18s and Under-23s level this term, as well as in the UEFA Youth League, where he scored a stunning volley against FC Copenhagen in October. 

Youngster Harvey Barnes was the next Fox on stage, as he was presented with the Development Squad Player of the Season award on the back of an impressive campaign for the Under-23s and in the Football League. 

Barnes spent four months on loan at League 1 outfit MK Dons and kicked-off his spell with a goal on debut against Northampton, going on to net five times in total. He then returned to the Club to help the Under-23s secure their Premier League 2 status by scoring a brace during an outstanding display in the 4-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur. 

Since joining the Club in January, Wilfred Ndidi has earned plenty of plaudits for his all-action displays and it was no surprise when he was named Young Player of the Season. 

At the age of just 20, the Nigeria international has built a solid partnership with Danny Drinkwater in the centre of midfield and has adapted brilliantly to the rigours of the Premier League during his first season in England. 

King Power Stadium has played host to some emotional European nights and one that will live long in the memory of the Blue Army was the 2-0 triumph over Sevilla in March – a worthy winner of the Performance of the Season award. 

Tasked with overturning a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, City were unstoppable against the Spanish outfit in the second leg on Filbert Way and executed their game plan perfectly to advance to the quarter-finals thanks to goals from Wes Morgan and Marc Albrighton. 

It was then up to Schmeichel to collect the evening’s final two awards – Players’ Player of the Season and Player of the Season – as the ‘keeper was credited for his superb displays for the 2015/16 Premier League champions. 

It is the second time in his City career that he won both awards, having also done the double during the 2011/12 campaign. 

Award winners in full: 

Player of the Year Season winner: Kasper Schmeichel 

Players’ Player of the Season Winner: Kasper Schmeichel 

Goal of the Season Winner: Danny Drinkwater vs. Liverpool

Performance of the Season: Leicester City 2 Sevilla 0 

Young Player of the Season Winner: Wilfred Ndidi 

Development Squad Player of the Season Winner: Harvey Barnes 

Academy Player of the Season Winner: Alex Pascanu