Neil Taylor was awarded Player of the Year at the Asian Football Awards, highlighting the achievements of British Asians in football. Easah Suliman won the Young Player Award, while Gurjit Singh received the Non-League Player Award. Organizer Baljit Rihal seeks to address the low representation of South Asians in professional football, despite their significant population percentage in England and Wales.

Neil Taylor, the Wales and Swansea City left-back, received the prestigious Player of the Year award at the Asian Football Awards held at Wembley. This event, now in its third edition, celebrates the successes of British Asians in English football. At 26 years old, Taylor, who was born in Wales to an Indian mother and English father, played a pivotal role in helping Wales qualify for Euro 2016.

Young player honors were awarded to Easah Suliman, a 17-year-old defender of Pakistani descent, who captained the England Under-17 team. Meanwhile, Gurjit Singh, a 24-year-old striker from Kidderminster Harriers with Indian heritage, took home the non-league player award. The Asian Football Awards are looking to establish a biennial schedule following previous ceremonies in 2012 and 2013.

Baljit Rihal, the awards organizer, aims to spotlight the underrepresentation of South Asians in professional football. According to the 2011 census, individuals of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi descent constituted 5.3% of England and Wales’s population, yet there are only seven players from this demographic in the top four divisions in England.

Currently, Taylor stands as the most recognized player among this small group, along with Wolves center-back Danny Batth and Mansfield left-back Malvind Benning, who are among the few from this heritage with regular first-team participation.

Original Source: www.bbc.com