Jonny, congratulations. You’re the Norwich City Etty Smith Young Player of the Season. How does it look?
“It’s a good feeling. I’ve obviously seen that Liam Gibbs won it last season, and he had a great season. It’s an honour to win it. It’s named after Delia’s mum, and that makes it even more honourable.”
It’s been an incredible season for you. How proud of your development are you, and did you expect it to be like this?
“I kinda knew what I was capable of, from previous seasons. It was just about getting that opportunity to show it, and thanks to the manager for believing in me. He’s given me the opportunity to showcase myself to the world, and thankfully it’s paid off!”
Which aspects of your game, do you think, have come on the most this season?
“I feel like my work rate, my work ethic and professionalism off the pitch. I’ve realised how much recovery I need to do in order to perform my best week in, week out. Here in the Championship, it’s pretty hectic with games every couple of days. You have to stay on top of your recovery, so I’d definitely say those few things.’
For a player in your position where you’re running at defenders, confidence is important. You’ve always said you’ve had that belief, but has that grown even more this season?
“All these accolades I’ve won this season, the recognition I’ve got so far, it all adds to it. The love I get from the fans, it all adds up to my confidence building up. On top of me knowing what I’m capable of, it encourages me to try new things and gives me a higher success rate of it paying off. I take everything and try and use it to build myself up, and it’s paid off this season.”
That goal on the opening day of the season against Hull, is that the highlight of your season or have there been many more since?
“There’s been a few! Not even just on the pitch, off the pitch and meeting certain fans and embracing everyone that has shown me love for what I’ve done. That first goal, it felt like a reward for all the hard work that I’ve put in behind the scenes. Only my closest friends will know what I’ve been through, and how I’ve been mentally and physically during the off-season, so for it to pay off and it shows that hard work really does pay off. When you get your mind down to it, and you believe in yourself, anything is possible.”
Who is in your close network, who are the people that have supported you to get to this point?
“I’ve got my family, my mum and my sister stick close by me. Also got my godmothers and my aunties, and my close friends that I grew up with in school back in London. In north-west London, everyone kinda knows everyone but I’ve stuck close to my circle of four or five friends.”
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