Vardy wins Football Writers’ Association footballer award

Leicester forward Jamie Vardy has been voted the 2016 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association.

The England international topped the poll of 290 journalists with 36 per cent of the vote, a clear winner ahead of team-mates Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante.

The 29-year-old striker has scored 24 goals for club and country so far this season as the Foxes close in on what would be a remarkable Barclays Premier League title triumph. They will be crowned champions should closest rivals Tottenham fail to beat Chelsea on Monday evening.

Seven Leicester players received votes in the FWA poll, with captain Danny Drinkwater, goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, defenders Wes Morgan and Danny Simpson being recognised by the voters.

Leicester forward Vardy will be honoured with the prestigious FWA accolade, which has been running since 1948, at a gala dinner in London on May 12.

FWA chairman Andy Dunn, of the Sunday Mirror, said: ‘’It is testament to their all-round excellence that so many Leicester players polled votes from our members. The Jamie Vardy story, though, clearly captured the imagination of so many writers.

• Culled from Sportinglife.com