Irish international goalkeeper Darren Randolph was awarded both the Middlesbrough Fans' and Players' Player of the Year awards last night at an official awards banquet for the Championship club.
The goalkeeper has enjoyed a tremendous season between the posts for Tony Pulis' side, recording 19 clean sheets and earning a spot in the PFA Team of the Year last month.
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It has been a productive season, overall, for Irish players across the Irish Sea, with Shane Duffy and David McGoldrick already claiming the Player of the Year accolades at Brighton and Sheffield United respectively.
"I just want to say thank you to the fans and everyone who voted"@RandzOfficial says this could be his best season yet after scooping two Player of the Year awards last night #UTB pic.twitter.com/kJ8zFF2hXb
— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) May 1, 2019
The first-choice Irish goalkeeper spoke to his club website after receiving his award and suggested this season has been the best in his career to date:
It feels very good to know that's how the fans and my teammates think of me and how well I've played this season.
It's up there with probably my best season. There's been a lot of recognition and some personal accolades which is brilliant and reflects on probably the season I've had.
With one game left in the season, the Riverside club still maintain hope of making a return to the Premier League, though they will have to do so via the promotion play-offs. The club will need a favour from West Brom if they are to leap above Derby County this weekend and claim the final of four spots in the lucrative play-offs.
Moreover, the recent awards are sure to serve as a boost for Mick McCarthy and his backroom team ahead of two crucial European qualifiers coming up around the corner in June. The Republic of Ireland have won both of their games so far this campaign against Gibraltar and Georgia, with Randolpoh keeping a clean sheet in both games.
