Fulham under 23s skipper Sonny Hilton has been voted as the winner of this year’s Johnny Haynes Trophy for the academy player of the year after an outstanding individual season.

The 21 year-old attacking midfielder, who captained Steve Wigley’s side to the Premier League 2 Division two title, scored eleven goals and added nineteen assists in a superb campaign that saw him firmly establish himself as one of the academy’s most consistent performances.

Hilton is the fourth winner of the Johnny Haynes Trophy, which was instigated by the Fulham Supporters’ Trust, following in the footsteps of Tyrese Francois, Jay Stansfield and Fabio Carvalho. The winner is decided by a democratic vote of the club’s academy players, aged between 16 and 23, and the coaching staff.

Hilton told the club’s official website: “All the lads who won this award previously had amazing seasons, so to be recognised this time around is a really lovely feeling. We all worked so hard as a team last season and even in tough situations, we stayed together and showed what we were all about.”

Academy director Mike Cave added: “It’s a fantastic achievement for Sonny and testament to his performance both on and off the pitch this season. Sonny has performed well over many seasons, but this year he found a great vein of form. He’s worked hard on the training pitch and benefited from the opportunity to play consistently, which has deservedly culminated in both team and now individual success.”