Helder Costa's Wolves clean sweep
He’s a man of many talents and few words.
But Helder Costa finally had a message for the Wolves masses after he cleaned up at the end of season awards.
The £13million winger has been the undoubted star of Wolves’ disappointing season, scoring 12 goals and providing eight assists after moving from Portuguese side Benfica.
He unsurprisingly scooped all the major awards at Telford on Tuesday – winning player of the season, players’ player of the season, goal of the year and top goalscorer.
And the usually camera-shy Costa, who hasn’t spoken to the media all season and has only undertaken one brief club interview with Wolves, was cajoled into saying a few brief words by the evening’s host, Sky Sports presenter and Express & Star columnist Johnny Phillips. When asked what it meant to win player of the season, Costa replied: “It means a lot to me, Wolves have been good for me.
“I just want to thank all the people who voted for me and especially my team-mates.”
Costa was then encouraged to give a ‘Wolves ay we’ to the audience, which he managed, albeit with some endearingly slightly broken English.
Earlier in the evening Paul Lambert took to the stage to reiterate that shrewd additions in the transfer market this summer would be vital to Wolves’ promotion hopes next year.
When asked what his first six months as boss had been like, Lambert began by saying: “Six months? Six years more like!
“The potential here is absolutely massive. The supporters have been the catalyst and if we get the right players in that’ll be huge, that’s vital to it
“If we recruit the right way and get a chance to build it, anything is possible.
“Pre-season is vital if we do that. If it’s done right we have a fantastic chance.
“The supporters will drive it.”
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Player of the year - Helder Costa. Players’ player of the year - Helder Costa. Goal of the year - Helder Costa (versus Cardiff). Top goalscorer – Helder Costa. Young professional of the year - Connor Ronan (also nominated, Harry Burgoyne and Bright Enobakhare) Academy player of the year - Morgan Gibbs-White (also nominated, Cameron John and Christian Herc) Wolves Women player of the year - Emma Cross (also nominated, Claire Hakeman and Amber Quick) Express & Star fan of the year - Dylan Stevens Rachael Heyhoe Flint award for outstanding community contribution - Keith Berry MBE.
