Why Wigan Athletic boss believes Charlie Hughes would deserve EFL gong - with 'so much more to come'

The 20-year-old - who only made his league debut for Latics at Middlesbrough on Boxing Day last season - will go up against Ronnie Edwards (Peterborough) and Karamoko Dembele (Blackpool) for the prestigious gong.

And he'll have the full backing of everyone at the DW Stadium including Maloney, who has given Hughes the captain's armband on many occasions this term such is his faith in his ability.

"In terms of young player of the year, Charlie has been immense, considering it's his first full season," gushed the Latics boss. "When you think back to when I came in during January last season, he'd had a really difficult few games.

"In fairness to Kolo (Toure), he played him, they got beat, he played him, they got beat, but he kept faith. And when you compare the player back then to the player we see now, he's come on leaps and bounds - with so much more to come."

Hughes has received almost weekly plaudits for his quality on the ball and his impressive range of passing, but it was another side of the game that impressed Maloney at the weekend.

Port Vale striker Uche Ikpeazu is one of the biggest, most physically formidable forwards in the country, but Hughes kept going back for more in a fascinating head-to-head duel.

"I loved that battle he had with the big centre-forward, who I know from Scotland," acknowledged Maloney. "That was a huge physical battle, and the first challenge he got beat.

"But he started to work out how you duel with someone that big, and he found a way. He's such a brilliant player, and also a brilliant person...I just need to keep him and Sam (Tickle) here..."

Having waxed lyrical about Hughes, Maloney believes club-mate Tickle is also a strong candidate to be named in the League One Team of the Year, which will also be revealed in London this weekend.

"Honestly, there won't be many better players in League One than Sam Tickle this season," he added. "And that's from watching all of the top teams...Portsmouth, Derby, Bolton, Peterborough...he's been that good."

Elsewhere in League One, Harrison Burrows (Peterborough), Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Derby) and Marlon Pack (Portsmouth) are up for the Player of the Year gong.

John Mousinho (Portsmouth), Steve Evans (Stevenage) and Darren Ferguson (Peterborough) are competing for the Manager of the Season award.

In the Championship, Kieran McKenna (Ipswich), Liam Rosenior (Hull) and Daniel Farke (Leeds) are in the running to be named Manager of the Season.

In line for the Championship Player of the Season award are Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester), Crysencio Summerville (Leeds) and Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn).

Archie Gray (Leeds), Jon Rowe (Norwich) and Jordan James (Birmingham) are the contenders for the Championship’s Young Player of the Year.

In League Two, Nigel Clough (Mansfield), Mike Williamson (MK Dons) and Lee Bell (Crewe) are shortlisted for Manager of the Season.

Competing for Player of the Season are Davis Keillor-Dunn (Mansfield), Elliot Lee (Wrexham) and Jodi Jones (Notts County).

Rob Apter (Tranmere), Max Dean (MK Dons) and Ethan Pye (Stockport) will compete for League Two’s Young Player of the Year.