PALACE full back Nathaniel Clyne has been named FourFourTwo Young Player of the Year at the 2010 Football League Awards.

The 18-year-old defender received the accolade as a result of being ranked 17th in the FourFourTwo Top 50 Football League Players which was announced at the awards evening at Grovesnor House last night.

This made him the highest ranked representative aged 21 or under, and as a result the FourFourTwo Young Player of the Year for the Football League, pipping Nottingham Forest's Paul Anderson and Southampton's Adam Lallana to the title.

"It is very pleasing as there are a lot of young players out there playing first-team football. I'm very happy," said Clyne

The Stockwell born defender came through the Palace academy and broke into the first team last season. He was kept out of the side by Danny Butterfield for much of the opening half of this campaign, but managed to nail down a place shortly before Christmas and has since put in a string of eye catching performances.

He scored his first goal for the club in the Eagles 4-2 win at Reading towards the end of last year.

Clyne turned down a transfer to Premier League Wolves in January, deciding instead to stay and get regular football at Selhurst Park.

The England U19 international, who has represented his country on three occasions, paid tribute to former manager Neil Warnock for handing him the opportunity to perform on the big stage.

"He gave me my first-team debut and I owe a lot for that opportunity," he said. "He gave me a lot of confidence to perform out on the field."