Having had a much improved season in the 2019/20 campaign, Jordan Ayew has been crowned Crystal Palace’s Player of the Season.
The Ghana international won the award after seeing off competition from Vincente Guaita and Gary Cahill as he claimed 37 per cent of the total votes from almost 6,000 club supporters. Ayew contributed to nine goals and two assists for Roy Hodgson’s team and his contributions were acknowledged on Tuesday.
Palace finished the Premier League season 14th on the table after securing a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
The forward also clinched the club’s Goal of the Season with his solo strike in the 87th minute against West Ham United in October, while also winning the Eagles’ Players’ Player of the Season. Ayew paid tribute to the former president of the Ligue 1 side, Pape Diouf who died in March after battling with coronavirus.
“I’ve worked so hard to get into the team and I think the first season I came into this team wasn’t the best but the club had faith in me, the club wanted me to stay and I wanted to stay as well,” Ayew was quoted by Palace’s website. “I had the desire to have a better season and things have gone so well. I’m just grateful.
“I want to thank everyone at the football club; I want to thank the fans especially, they’ve been massive for us this season, for me especially they’ve been massive. I’d like to thank all the people that supported me within the difficult moments that I had in my football career.
“When I have this type of award I just think of my family and obviously of the fans. And one man that’s been so influential in my football career: that’s [mentor and former Olympique de Marseille president] Pape Diouf. I lost him within the period of COVID and he passed away, I wish he was still here so I could present him this.”
The Palace manager also described the forward who bagged the club’s Player of the Month twice as an ‘unbelievable’ player while heaping praise on his work ethics.
“[Jordan] is an unbelievable enthusiast and hard worker, somebody really who never falls below a certain level of performance, someone who never misses a training session and is always lively and alert in each training session, irrespective if it’s the day after coming back after a long journey or after having a day or two off,” Roy Hodgson said. “He’s made great strides going forward. When he came to us, he showed a lot of qualities but I think the qualities he possesses he really has worked on and improved… Well done, Jordan.”
