FORMER York College student Rachel Daly is among the nominees for the prestigious Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year.

It’s been a fantastic 12 months for the Harrogate-born England and Aston Villa forward, who finished with the Women’s Super League golden boot after scoring 22 goals for the Villains, including two hat-tricks against Reading.

And that’s an even more remarkable achievement for a player that featured at left-back for Sarina Wiegman’s side during their successful EURO’s campaign last summer.

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Daly, who studied a Sports Diploma in York, has been reinstated among the Lionesses’ forward line during the World Cup after being handed the number 9 shirt.

She has repaid her manager’s trust by scoring against China and in the decisive penalty shootout to send England into the Quarter finals with victory against Nigeria.

The 31-year-old North Yorkshire star is joined by five other names among the shortlist - Australian striker Sam Kerr, Manchester City’s Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, Ona Batlle and Norwegian pair Frida Maanum and Guro Reiten.

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Should Daly be named as the Player of the Year on August 29, she will become the fifth English woman to have been awarded the accolade, with Fran Kirby and Lucy Bronze having won twice, alongside Izzy Christiansen and Beth England.

The news preceded England's 3-1 victory over Australia this morning to seal their spot in a first ever Women's World Cup Final against Spain on Sunday morning (10am UK time).

Daly played the full 90 minutes in a left midfield role, where she provided telling contributions at both ends of the pitch.