Collegian News: Chris Wood awarded Player of the Year

Newcastle United forward Chris Wood (School 2005-2008) scooped two of the top honours at the New Zealand Football Awards this week.

The 30-year-old was named Men's International Player of the Year, and also received a separate Player of the Year prize in recognition of his contribution at both club and international level.

The awards cover the calendar years of both 2020 and 2021, with the Covid-19 pandemic restricting the amount of sport that could be played in the former.

Wood was crowned Burnley’s Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Top Goalscorer in 2021, after a campaign in which he netted double figures for the fourth consecutive season.

He made the switch to Tyneside from Turf Moor in January, netting two Premier League goals and helping the Magpies secure an 11th-place top flight finish.

The former Leeds and Leicester frontman also became his country’s all-time leading goalscorer in March, bagging his 30th goal for the All Whites and taking them to the brink of qualification for this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Wood currently has 33 goals to show from his 65 caps to date and could add to his tally in his nation's three upcoming fixtures, including their World Cup intercontinental play-off against Costa Rica, in June.