Rice, Palmer and Postecoglou among winners at 2024 London Football Awards

Declan Rice has been named Premier League Player of the Year 2024 at the London Football Awards, while Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou was awarded Manager of the Year.

London’s finest footballing talent was celebrated in a ceremony at Camden’s Roundhouse, which also included awards for Guglielmo Vicario, Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise and Harry Redknapp.

Arsenal midfielder Rice, who was previously named Premier League Player of the Year in 2022, has enjoyed a stellar year in which he captained West Ham to the Europa Conference League title before earning a record £100m move to north London.

As the new fulcrum of Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, Rice has gone from strength to strength, scoring key goals in big matches and providing the driving force for their title charge.

This is the second season in a row an Arsenal player has won the LFA’s top men’s title, with Martin Odegaard victorious in 2023, and Rice beat out competition from former teammate Jarrod Bowen, current teammate William Saliba and Spurs pair Vicario and Pedro Porro.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s summer signing Cole Palmer won the Men’s Young Player of the Year, following in the footsteps of teammate and 2022 winner Conor Gallagher.

Former Manchester City academy product Palmer has been the undisputed shining light in an otherwise turbulent season at Stamford Bridge, scoring 14 goals and creating a further nine in all competitions since moving to the capital.

And in the dugout, Spurs boss Postecoglou beat outgoing Chelsea maestro Emma Hayes to Manager of the Year in an incredibly competitive field which also included Mikel Arteta, David Moyes and Leyton Orient’s Richie Wellens.

Since moving from Glasgow to north London, “Big Ange” has become an instant fans’ favourite, implementing his bold attacking style and guiding Spurs through an injury crisis to fifth in the Premier League.

Fellow Spurs summer arrival Vicario was awarded Goalkeeper of the Year, sponsored by i, thanks to his similarly transformative effect at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, leading the league in an array of key statistics and reintroducing stability into his side’s defence.

In the WSL, 2023 Women’s Young Player of the Year Lauren James has graduated to Player of the Year, beating fellow blues Guro Reiten and Niamh Charles in the process.

Aside from taking on a starring role for England in their World Cup final run last summer, James has become Chelsea’s crowning jewel, scoring 12 goals in just 13 league games this season. Still just 22, the former Manchester United forward seems set to vie for this title for years to come.

Full list of London Football Awards 2024 winners

• Premier League Player of the Year – Declan Rice (Arsenal)
• EFL Player of the Year – Alfie May (Charlton)
• Men’s Young Player of the Year – Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
• Goalkeeper of the Year – Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)
• WSL Player of the Year – Lauren James (Chelsea)
• Women’s Young Player of the Year – Agnes Beevor-Jones (Chelsea)
• Manager of the Year – Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham)
• Goal of the Season – Michael Olise (Crystal Palace vs Luton Town)
• Outstanding Contribution to London Football – Harry Redknapp
• Power of Football Award – John Berylson (Millwall)
• Community Project of the Year – Sutton United Foundation

And taking on teammate James’ title as Women’s Young Player of the Year is 20-year-old Aggie Beevor-Jones, who has scored five WSL goals for Chelsea in a breakout season at Kingsmeadow, alongside being named in her first England squad.

Outside the top tiers, Charlton striker Alfie May saw off opposition from Leyton Orient, AFC Wimbledon and Millwall to be named EFL Player of the Year.

May has added to 20 League One goals last season with another 17 this season, attempting to single-handedly drag the relegation-threatened Addicks from their unfortunate downturn in form.

The title for LFA Goal of the Season goes to Olise for his stunning individual effort against Luton last November, in which he jinked down the right-hand side before curling into the top corner with his left foot.

Away from the pitch, former West Ham, Spurs and QPR boss Redknapp was awarded the LFA’s Outstanding Contribution to London Football Award.

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Born in Poplar in 1947, Redknapp’s affiliation with London football has existed since birth, winding through an academy stint with Tottenham before breaking through at West Ham, one senior game for Brentford in 1976, and taking the reins of three London clubs across a 34-year managerial career.

The Power of Football award went to the late Millwall owner John Berylson, who passed away aged 70 last June. In nearly 20 years of involvement with Millwall, the American oversaw and facilitated some of the club’s greatest moments and his death was a sudden tragedy which rocked football.

And the Community Project of the Year went to Sutton United Foundation’s Pan-Disability Football, which remains a flag-bearer for inclusive football in London and beyond.

The awards were judged by an extensive panel which included Carlton Cole, Tony Cottee and Bobby Zamora and the ceremony was attended by the best and the brightest of London’s footballing scene, past and present.

All money raised by the LFA will go to Willow, the only national charity which helps make memories and provide special days for seriously ill young adults, founded by former Arsenal goalkeeper and TV presenter Bob Wilson in 1999 following the death of his daughter.