Bristol Rovers Connor Taylor has been named the EFL's Young Player of the Month for October.
The 20-year-old, on a season-long loan from Championship side Stoke City, has been recognised for a commanding run of performances in central defence.
He joins an illustrious list of players to have collected the award, with Manchester United captain Harry Maguire, Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, Borrusia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, Tottenham's Dele Alli and Crystal Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha among previous winners.
Taylor is the second Rovers player to win the prize after Tom Lockyer, then aged 21, was recognised for a superb December 2015.
The giant centre-half spent last season on loan with non-league clubs Ashton United and Chester, and he has overcome a tricky start at Rovers to establish himself as the leader of the defence.
Taylor's impeccable display in the win at Harrogate Town doubtless played swaying the judges in his favour.
"Really pleased for him," Rover boss Joey Barton said. "He’s come on leaps and bounds in the last month and he’s got so much improvement still to do in his game.
"If he continues in the vein of form and learning that he has, with the speed he’s picking up the men’s game, I think the future is incredibly bright for him."
Taylor follows in the footsteps of another Stoke defender, with Harry Souttar winning the award in February 2020 while playing for Barton at Fleetwood Town.
Souttar has since established himself as a key player for Michael O'Neill's side in the Championship and for the Australian national team after a season spent working under the now Rovers boss.
"It’s a difficult job trying to select those younger players and Connor’s come in mainly because we had a really good working relationship with Stoke due to the job we did Harry Souttar at Fleetwood," Barton continued.
"They’ve trusted us with another one of their younger talents. Connor came when he was 19 after 12 months out in non-league football and, thankfully for us, Stoke have trusted his development over to us.
"You look at these younger players and there is some real talent running through the clubs in the top two tiers. So many talented young players.
"To continue their development, they’ve got to get out and play what I would consider men’s football, with three points on the line and a crowd in when everything matters.
"I don’t think you get that in under-23s football. There are lots of benefits of that player development, but the final piece of the jigsaw – whether someone can handle the intensity of elite-level football – comes from playing those games under the spotlight."
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