Let's look at the Player of the Season vote logically, shall we?

I love the idea floated on Saturday of Luke Hyam as Player of the Season as a protest vote, but I'm really beginning to believe the terrace banter that says Paul Jewell's entire selection and tactical philosophy seems to be aimed at proving he knows better than the fans and the local press. I reckon that if Hyam was Player of the Year, Jewell would sell him over the summer.

So, where do we start? Well, I'd say that nobody could really be considered for Player of the Season unless they'd played in half of the matches, but after 'we' voted for Jimmy Bullard last year on the basis of just 16 appearances, I guess that one's not a necessity. If you look at the starting appearances, there's a bit of a natural break at the 16 starts level, so maybe that's our shortlist:

Aaron Cresswell: 40 starts
Carlos Edwards: 40
Michael Chopra: 36
Grant Leadbitter: 28
Daryl Murphy: 26
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas: 25
Lee Martin: 24
Lee Bowyer: 24
Damien Delaney: 21
Ibrahima Sonko: 19
Tommy Smith: 19
Keith Andrews: 19
David Stockdale: 18
Jason Scotland: 17
Andy Drury: 16
Danny Collins: 16

If we look at Pride of Anglia's "points gained when each player is in the starting XI" table, a few players rule themselves out just because the team's record has been so abysmal when they featured. I'm going to take out Bowyer, Collins, Andrews, Stockdale and - perhaps controversially - Leadbitter because of this.

Another pointer could be TWTD's player ratings. The sheer numbers of people voting in these each match makes them a decent measure. For scoring poorly in those ratings, I'm going to take out Delaney, Emmanuel-Thomas, Edwards and Murphy. That leaves us with seven players:

Aaron Cresswell
Michael Chopra
Lee Martin
Ibrahima Sonko
Tommy Smith
Jason Scotland
Andy Drury

Next, we have to look at the statistics for the season, and one stands out: we're almost certain to end up having let in more goals than in any season in this division since the 1950s. Just think about that, and remember some of the shocking defences of the past. There may be excuses, but that is remarkable, and quite appalling.

Now, I understand that Cresswell has been a revelation, Edwards's attitude on the pitch (if not behind the wheel) has been exemplary, Sonko is a cult hero and Smith has progressed exceptionally. But it would be utterly perverse to vote for a defender as Player of the Season in a year where we've been so atrocious defensively. It would also be an insult to the goalscorers who have saved us from relegation.

For that reason, much as my heart would love him to win the award, we have to lose Cresswell. Both Sonko and Smith have only started half as many matches, but Sonko has had just three 90-minute clean sheets, and Smith has seen more than 1.5 goals a game conceded when he's started, so we can't really excuse them either.

That leaves four players.

Michael Chopra
Lee Martin
Jason Scotland
Andy Drury

Both Chopra and Scotland are out-and-out goalscorers, and despite his impressive workrate and attitude, Scotland's record is definitely behind Chopra on any measure. So he narrowly fails to make my final three.

All of the remaining three are right up the top of the "points gained when they're in the starting XI" chart, even if they're pipped by Luke Hyam and (whisper it) Arran Lee-Barrett. But now we're at such a high level of achievement, I'm going to rule out Drury because of his lack of appearances, just 16 starts and 1 as sub. However, we should acknowledge what a huge difference he made to the season.

Is it the almost ever-present Chopra then, or Lee Martin, who we should remember was sent off at Peterborough and promptly ignored for over two months?

Chopra has scored 14 league goals, and if he can bag two or three more, that doesn't make him far short of Darren Bent/Marcus Stewart/David Johnson territory, a total which which haven't seen for a long time. But then again, he's the best striker Town have bought for years, and it would be a dreadful disappointment if he'd scored any fewer than he has. When he's not scoring, he can sometimes be really quiet, and when voting for a Player of the Season, I think most of us want to see that little bit extra in the application column.

Finally, after his night out on the Toon, a vote for Chopra would be a snub to the players who've conducted themselves more professionally.

Lee Martin, however, has not only possibly been the surprise of the season, but also a player who's ticked both the effort and achievement boxes. In the December to February period, when the team finally came good and escaped from impending relegation, Martin was man of the match on TWTD in seven out of 14 league games. He's been as instrumental as any of the midfielders behind him in making the play flow, his attitude seems to be first-rate, and dammit, he makes games exciting.

Who'd have thought it? Lee Martin is therefore my Player of the Season.

rosseden added 10:56 - Apr 11 rather ironically i did a similar exercise, but with far less facts than you, and got to a similar place....... however, i cant help but want creswell and maybe edwards to be in with a shout, reality is Cressy has made few mistakes compared to the CB's and if the truth be told Carlos as well, but can you take him out seeing as his sidekicks were poor? thats not his fault is it?

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alztar added 10:58 - Apr 11 You've made me feel bad for picking Cresswell now!
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bracknell_blue added 11:38 - Apr 11 Based on the games I have watched this season, only 1 player has demonstrated the commitment, ability and passion on a consistent basis. Step forward Carlos Edwards.
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mwhitfc added 11:40 - Apr 11 I'd pick Carlos or Cressy over Lee Martin anyday! Cresswell has been solid for us, and was our best player for at least the first 10 matches!
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mwhitfc added 11:41 - Apr 11 Also, what about Lee Martin's sending off against Peterborough and his subsequent demotion to the Reserves?!
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johnnyTGrotten added 12:36 - Apr 11 Cresswell. the most consistant performer in my view. You can't put our poor defensive record on his shoulders when you look at the manor of most of the goals scored against us.
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alsagerblue added 13:17 - Apr 11 This blog really does capture what a poor season we have again witnessed. I have had the same problem in deciding who is my current favourite player! I was thinking about this during the Derby match and couldn't identify one. The only conclusion I reached was that JET was the most interesting player as you have no idea what he is going to do when he gets the ball and I don't think he does himself most of the time!!

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Ipswich24 added 14:54 - Apr 11 Good blog and really interesting. I have been to every home game this season plus a few away and I go by what I have seen. In nearly every home game Edwards has been the one where I have been saying well played Carlos or great tackle, great pace Carlos. So for me Carlos Edwards has been player of season.
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mightytown added 15:47 - Apr 11 an interesting read but i have to say, it kinda gives too much creedance to an end of season formality. its like picking man of the match, when your teams just lost 10 - 0, and the idea as i've noticed being banded around recently that there is som sort of conspiracy, led by jewell to not pick hyam? makes no sense at all. but, back to player of the season, just pick who you like best and who you think has been the best and funnily enough i probably agree with martin but as i say, despite our up turn in form and a bit of pride being restored at portman road, player of the season is not a massive concern. i hope this hasn't come across too negative, it wasn't the intention. i voted mcauley last year and yet bullard won. mcauley left for the prem and has done really well, bullard has not quite achieved the same, i just think its a bit of a waste of time

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sheepdags added 17:45 - Apr 11 If Jewell had shown more faith in him and he'd been given more starts, I'd have gone for Drury as we look a more balanced side when he plays and I think we've only lost one of the games he's played. Tempted to go for Hyam as a protest for the reason you suggest - again we looked better when he played and Jewell has dropped him out of the squad completely when he at least deserved a place on the bench. If we're only considering regular starters though I would go for Cresswell as our most consistent performer in a season blighted by inconsistent team selection.

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RegencyBlue added 17:57 - Apr 11 On balance I would go for Cresswell. Take the point about goals conceded but Cresswell has been a consistent performer and don't forget this was his first season at Championship level.
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fourth added 19:38 - Apr 11 Carlos has a remarkable ability to intercept play.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 22:28 - Apr 11 Love Martin but cant agree on the logic of not voting for defenders, its mainly been CB and GK thats been to blame. Cresswell for me, edging out Edwards, Martin third. Since Xmas would agree and give it to LM.
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Whitecaps_Fan added 00:49 - Apr 12 That's a great way of picking the winner...well done
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IvorFeeling added 07:50 - Apr 12 Interseting but not sure on what basis with the players ratings you have removed a swathe of players. My vote is for Carlos: 1. Consistent all season and whilst he has taken stick (and made mistakes) alot of his woes have been because the man in front of him has not bothered to track back. 2. Can beat a man and delivers a good cross 3. Totally professional (save driving) and never moaned about playing out of position, the team selection or the weather! 4. Loves being Captain, the club and wears the shirt with pride. Yes Cressy has had a good season but Carlos gets my vote

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Surco72 added 16:30 - Apr 12 Cresswell for me ,young player in first season at this level in an ever changing back four and keeper . Fourth is the reason Edwards makes so many interceptions the fact that he is stood in the wrong position to start with not near his man ?
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Tractorboy24 added 19:13 - Apr 12 I think the player of year will go to cresswell, most improved will be jet and academy player of year will be Lawrence.
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50yearsablue added 16:31 - Apr 13 Reality is not as logical as your suggestions. Players cannot be responsible for others' individual errors and many goals conceded have been as a result of that and not collective organisation. When I vote, I look for someone who has been consistent all season (not half a season as last year's silly outcome) and has given total commitment irrespective of what may be happening around him. Only Edwards and Cresswell, in my opinion, fit that criteria and are worthy of the accolade

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Kropotkin123 added 20:03 - Apr 14 I personally don't think it is perverse to put in the wing-backs. I wrote this on the forum, in response to someone making a similar point, but more aggressively. 1) The goalkeeper changing 4 (now 5) times didn't help the defence. 2) Numerous centre back changes meant they didn't have a player to keep a consistent defensive line. 3) Numerous centre back changes meant they had to form new partnerships affecting their positioning. 4) The centre midfield left the centre defence exposed for at least 1/2 the season. 5) They have contributed a lot going forward. Whereas you remove the defence, in your stats bit, I would remove the GK, 2 x CB and 2 x CM. Interesting nonetheless.

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captaincrunch added 00:40 - Apr 15 Why do so many people blame defenders for letting in goals? That is to over simplify football too much. A football team can have the best back four in the league and still concede more goals than anyone depending on the midfield or even just the way the team plays. It is not as simple as to say team X lets in a lot of goals therefore they must have 4 really bad players in defence. In our case our defenders are not as bad as they seemed to many of us earlier in the season (and to some even now) and since PJ tweaked the tactics our goals against record has vastly improved without scoring a lot less ourselves. For this reason I do not think a player such as Cresswell should be automatically ruled out as it is a team effort and not his fault if we let in a lot of goals this season. If he had made a lot of individual errors then thats another story. The same goes for all the defenders, I am not just sticking up for Cresswell.

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TractorRoyNo1 added 01:11 - Apr 16 Cresswell should win it by a country mile, but i fear that will lead to him leaving the club, over the years we have always sold the PotY within a short time of them getting the rose bowl
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jas0999 added 10:25 - Apr 16 Edwards is the Player of teh Season. His captaincy has seen us through. Has done well.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 20:58 - Apr 16 Oh right then, Jas has spoken. Stop the voting.
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ITFCOYB added 14:24 - Apr 19 I've not seen a great deal of the season, but i like the way you attacked it, Chris! From what i have seen and read, i'd plump for Martin, too- his quality is finally coming to the fore. Deserving player of the season.
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