The latest recipient been awarded Manchester United’s prestigious Jimmy Murphy Award for 2023/24.
The award is named after Jimmy Murphy, who stoically helped Sir Matt Busby rebuild the club after the 1958 disaster.
United announcedEthan Wheatley as the latest winner of the award, ahead of the team’s final home game of the season at Old Trafford, where he was presented with the silverware.
Wheatley, 18, has scored 23 goals in all competitions for the club’s academy sides this season, and he follows Kobbie Mainoo, the previous winner.
Ethan Wheatley wins 2023/24 Jimmy Murphy Award
Wheatley has helped the under-18s win three trophies this season, including scoring in the national title game over Chelsea.
He was praised by academy director Nick Cox, who said: “Ethan really deserves this award, having represented the club to the highest standard across six different competitions this season. He has excelled at everything that he has been asked to do.”
Wheatley has already made his Manchester United first team debut, becoming the club’s 250th academy graduate.
He was presented with the award at Old Trafford alongsideDenzil Haroun Award winner Elyh Harrison.
Former winners of the Jimmy Murphy Award include current teammates Shola Shoretire, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Elanga, along with club legends Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.
It is no guarantee he will make it at United, as the mixed success of players who won the award between 1982 and 2022 shows, but it is a great honour to follow in some of the famous names who have done so.
Previous Jimmy Murphy Award winners
- 1982/83: Norman Whiteside
- 1983/84: Mark Hughes
- 1984/85: Mark Hughes
- 1985/86: Simon Ratcliffe
- 1986/87: Gary Walsh
- 1987/88: Lee Martin
- 1989/90: Lee Martin
- 1990/91: Ryan Giggs
- 1991/92: Ryan Giggs
- 1992/93: Paul Scholes
- 1993/94: Phil Neville
- 1994/95: Terry Cooke
- 1995/96: Ronnie Wallwork
- 1996/97: John Curtis
- 1997/98: Wes Brown
- 1998/99: Wes Brown
- 1999/00: Bojan Djordjic
- 2000/01: Alan Tate
- 2001/02: Paul Tierney
- 2002/03: Ben Collett
- 2003/04: Jonathan Spector
- 2004/05: Giuseppe Rossi
- 2005/06: Darron Gibson
- 2006/07: Craig Cathcart
- 2007/08: Danny Welbeck
- 2008/09: Federico Macheda
- 2009/10: Will Keane
- 2010/11: Ryan Tunnicliffe
- 2011/12: Mats Daehli
- 2012/13: Ben Pearson
- 2013/14: James Wilson
- 2014/15: Axel Tuanzebe
- 2015/16: Marcus Rashford
- 2016/17: Angel Gomes
- 2017/18: Tahith Chong
- 2018/19: Mason Greenwood
- 2019/20: Anthony Elanga
- 2020/21: Shola Shoretire
- 2021/22: Alejandro Garnacho
- 2022/23: Kobbie Mainoo
- 2023/24: Ethan Wheatley