ANDY BOOTH is backing Jordan Rhodes to bag a place in the PFA League I Team of the Year – and get back on the goal trail.
Neither Town, nor their ace marksman, have notched in the last three games as they look to cement a play-off place when they take on Scunthorpe at the Galpharm tomorrow.
But Booth, Town’s third-highest scorer of all time, reckons it will soon be business as usual for the division’s 38-goal top scorer.
And the club ambassador also says it would be unthinkable for Rhodes not to be included in the League I XI at the PFA’s annual awards ceremony on Sunday.
“It would be ridiculous if Jordan didn’t get in the representative team after the season he’s had,” said Booth of the Scotland international.
“There’s only Ched Evans (the Sheffield United striker has 35) anywhere near him, and I believe they will both be included.
“It’s not just Jordan’s scoring exploits, but also his emergence at international level and the way he has worked to improve his all-round game.
“He also conducts himself in the right manner both on and off the pitch, and you never hear a bad word said about him.”
Booth made the League I (then Division II team) of 1994-95, when he scored his 30th goal of the season as Town beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 in the play-off final at Wembley.
“It meant a huge amount to me, because I had been picked by my fellow professionals,” he recalled.
“Myself and (Town left-back) Tom Cowan both made the side, and I think it gave us both a boost as we went into the final stages of the season.
“It would be lovely to think history could repeat itself – that Jordan will make the PFA team and help us win promotion.
“I know we have had a blip, but we have a good squad at the club and with the experience we have, there’s no reason why we can’t get through the play-offs.”
Manchester City trio David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Joe Hart are among the six nominees for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.
Scott Parker of Tottenham, Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie of Arsenal complete the shortlist.
Aguero is competing with Gareth Bale, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Daniel Sturridge, Kyle Walker and Danny Welbeck for the Young Players’ prize.
Spurs’ Gareth Bale and Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere took the two awards last season, when then-Town winger Anthony Pilkington was in the League I team.
The awards have been running since 1974 season, with the first Town player to make a representative team Geoff Hutt (Fourth Division, 1975-76).
