Allen Named Player of the Year

It might not be the golden boot, and it might not hold the prestige of being dubbed footballer of the year for a player from a country like Spain or Brazil, but it was still a well earned honour for Joe Allen who on Monday night found himself named Wales' best of the past year. In fact, Allen's win represents something of a minor upset given that for the past two seasons it has been won by Gareth Bale, who was considered a slight favourite to win his third in a row before the award went Allen's way instead.

Still only 22 years old, Allen's breakthrough season at newly-promoted Swansea took many by surprise, but only twelve months later he's justifiably secured a place in the starting eleven for Wales and Liverpool—and there's still plenty of room for continued development for the diminutive midfielder.

Allen made the trip to Cardiff for the Football Association of Wales awards gala, where he also took home a trophy as Swansea's best player of last season, and will now join up with the Welsh national side as they prepare to face Scotland and Croatia in a bid to keep their faint World Cup qualification hopes alive.