Millwall midfielder thought award nomination was a hoax

Billy Mitchell has revealed he initially thought his nomination for Men’s Young Player of the Year award at the London Football Awards was a practical joke.

The Lions midfielder was shortlisted for the accolade alongside Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, with Crystal Palace attacker Michael Olise.

England international Saka – one of the hottest properties in European football – won the award.

“It’s pretty good company to be in,” Mitchell told the South London Press.

“At first I thought it was a hoax. I got tagged in the tweet and spoke to my family and they said: ‘Don’t do anything yet, make sure it is real’.

“I checked the website and it was obviously on there. Wow, that’s pretty cool.

“I was injured when the awards were on and the lads had a game the next day, so it probably wouldn’t have been that professional to have gone.

“I’d have loved to have gone. To be in the same bracket as those lads – international players – was pretty cool, so I’ll take that.”

Mitchell clocked up 100 games for Millwall at QPR and was presented afterwards with a signed shirt.

The academy product, 22, has recently returned to the first-team set-up after tearing ankle ligaments against Coventry City in mid-February.

“Scottie (Malone) organised it with the kitman Jack (Wisson),” said Mitchell, when asked about the post-match tribute to him at Loftus Road. “It was a really nice gesture.

“Jack’s dad, Adrian, one of the kitmen, said he’d never seen anyone do that in 17 years of working at the club.

“It was nice to top it off with a win against QPR – had we lost that game it wouldn’t have had the same effect.”

See tomorrow’s South London Press for an in-depth chat with Mitchell.