Time running out to pick your Pompey player of the season

Michael Doyle is the current holder of the trophy. Picture: Joe Pepler

Thursday is the deadline to select your Pompey player of the season for 2016-17.

The prestigious The News/Sports Mail trophy is up for grabs – and we still want your contribution.

We have been inundated with hundreds of votes for your top player from a campaign to savour.

And the voting is proving extremely close between the front-runners.

As a squad, Paul Cook’s troops have bonded together magnificently to produce the results to end a four-year stretch in the Football League’s bottom division.

Ever since Peter Mellor became the first to claim the crown for the 1978-79 campaign, you the fans have decided who should be honoured.

The past 38 years have seen recognition for the likes of Mark Hateley, Neil Webb, Guy Whittingham, Kit Symons, Lee Bradbury, Glen Johnson, Jamie O’Hara and midfielder Jed Wallace.

Meanwhile, Alan Knight scooped it on three occasions, other multiple winners being Noel Blake (twice), David James (twice) and Steve Claridge (twice).

Approaching the end of his current reign is Michael Doyle.

The Pompey skipper has once again been instrumental during the current campaign, an ever-present in the league side.

He will undoubtedly again come into the reckoning for this year’s honour – although that is entirely up to you, the reader.

As ever in successful seasons, there are a host of candidates and worthy winners for the latest News/Sports Mail player-of-the-season accolade.

Along with Doyle, others who can expect to feature heavily are Christian Burgess, Matt Clarke and Enda Stevens.

The trio have been instrumental in creating the best defence in League Two, while Stevens is the leading assist-maker at present.

Kal Naismith is set to be the Blues’ top scorer and his creativity has been essential during the second half of the campaign.

Elsewhere, Kyle Bennett’s form has been outstanding since the turn of the year, while Gareth Evans’ work down the right flank has made him a crowd favourite.

Yet it is entirely down to the Fratton faithful to name your player of the season.

Please email your choice to [email protected] before midday on Thursday, May 4.

The trophy will be presented before Saturday’s game with Cheltenham.