Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford one of three nominees for Championship Player of the Year

And to think, Bamford wasn't even a starter at the beginning of the season, making his full debut for Middlesborough in just their 8th league match of the season.  He scored, of course.

The shortlist for @SkyBetChamp Player of the Year was announced this morning >> http://t.co/ydZEwIfz9W #FLAwards pic.twitter.com/GFZ9l7TECy

— The Football League (@football_league) April 17, 2015

In some sense, these aren't the most imaginative choices.  You have Ipswich's Daryl Murphy, the division's leading goalscorer with 24, Watford's Troy Deeney, the division's joint-second leading goalscorer with 20, and Bamford.  The Chelsea loanee's 17 goals have him level with his ex-teammate Chris Martin (of Derby County) for 7th in the division, but Bamford's scored that many in fewer minutes than most of the other guys at the top of the goalscoring charts (except for Watford's Ighalo, but they probably didn't want to nominate two players from the same team).

Bamford's also nominated for the Football League's Young Player of the Year award, alongiside Dele Ali of MK Dons (League 1) and Norwich's Nathan Redmond.  Incidentally, Bamford and Redmond will face off in less than an hour as Norwich City host Middlesbrough under the Friday night lights.

Good work and good luck, Patrick!