van Hecke double at Players' Awards

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Bruce Talbot

2025-05-07T23:30+01:00

Men’s Players’ Player of the Season sponsored by American Express: Jan Paul van Hecke. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

Jan Paul van Hecke and Fran Kirby picked up the prestigious Player of the Year accolades at the Players' Awards, sponsored by American Express, at the Amex on Wednesday.

JP has established himself at the heart of our defence this season and has played in 31 of our 35 Premier League games as well as breaking into the Netherlands squad.

Fran joined the club last summer after a storied WSL career with Chelsea and her goal in Monday’s 4-2 win over Arsenal - which has helped put Albion on the verge of achieving their best WSL finish of fifth - was her eighth of the season.

Women’s Players’ Player of the Season sponsored by Sun Harvest: Marisa Olislagers. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

JP made it a double by also winning the Players’ Player award while Marisa Olislagers, who has had an outstanding debut campaign in the WSL, won the equivalent women’s award.

Not surprisingly, Kaoru Mitoma’s brilliant strike in the 3-0 win over Chelsea won men’s goal of the season while Jelena Cankovic’s brilliant volley in Monday’s win over Arsenal won the women’s award.

Michelle Agyemang was named Women’s Young Player of the Season. The 19-year-old is on a season-long loan from Arsenal and her form for Albion earned her England senior recognition last month – and she scored after 41 seconds of her debut against Belgium. The men’s young player was Carlos Baleba. Carlos has established himself in the heart of our midfield and has also impressed when he’s slotted into central defence.

Sarah Watts Inspiration Award sponsored by Focus Group: Vic Bragg. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

The Sarah Watts Inspiration Award was given to Vic Bragg, who retired last year after a 30-year career in the club’s academy, and in a fitting end to the awards ceremony, former chairman Dick Knight became the first recipient of a new award in his name for his outstanding contribution to the club going back to the time he helped save Albion in 1997.

Chairman Tony Bloom summed up Dick's contribution perfectly, “He saved the club and that's what he should be remembered for more than anything else.”

All the winners…