Just like the Championship race itself, the fight for the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month award is an open affair eagerly contested by many.
Ipswich striker Daryl Murphy is one of the form players in the division as he took his goal tally for the season to 14 in the weekend victory over Middlesbrough.
But whilst Murphy has been the talk of the Town in recent weeks, with Ipswich climbing to second in the table, make a note of the following name...Teddy Bishop.
The Ipswich youngster has been earning rave reviews and following his performance against Boro, Portman Road legend Mick Mills described him as ‘the new Ray Willkins’.
The teenager’s composure and ability on the ball belie his tender years, and manager Mick McCarthy is convinced Bishop is a Premier League player in the making.
McCarthy said: “I think we should just let him thrive and blossom. There will be clubs looking at him, I know. He will play in the Premier League - he should do it with us.”
At the start of the season, few would have predicted that Bournemouth, Ipswich and Brentford would be occupying the top three positions by Christmas.
Eddie Howe’s men continue to impress and Bournemouth’s emphatic 6-1 win at strugglers Blackpool took their league goal tally beyond the 50-mark.
Matt Ritchie has contributed six of those and, together with leading scorer Callum Wilson (11), has been a key figure in the Cherries’ unlikely promotion push.
Midfielder Ritchie is not getting too carried away though and says: “We've got young lads, and hungry lads that have probably got their best years of their career ahead of them.”
Brentford’s Andre Gray and Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes were also amongst the goals at the weekend and are firmly in the hunt for our fans’ award.
Matty Fryatt may also have been in with a shout had the Forest striker not had two perfectly good ‘goals’ disallowed for offside in the 1-1 draw with Leeds.
Derby pair Chris Martin and Johnny Russell are also grabbing plenty of votes, along with Watford’s Troy Deeney (who scored five goals in two games) and Norwich striker Cameron Jerome.
Vote now for your Fans’ Player of the Month in the Championship
Source: DSG
