Academy defender George Grant has been honoured with the Sports Person Award in the 2023 Black History Youth Awards.
Presented by north-east charity Taste of Africa, which celebrates the works of African people within our region, the trophy is in recognition of George’s work on and off the field.
Now an established centre-half at Under-18 level, George joined Boro during the 2021/22 season from grassroots football with limited exposure to life within a football academy.
During his debut campaign, he managed to hold down a regular position within the U18 group and was subsequently selected to represent the Jamaican National team's U22 side, where he has made two appearances to date.
Reflecting on the award, George said: "It was a surprise to win but it means a lot. This shows how far I've come both as an athlete and a person. I really appreciate the recognition.
"It also shows how far we've come as a people, not just with my award but the other awards too. We've all overcome our struggles and I think that's important to recognise with other people of colour."
MFC Head of Education Barry Dawson added: "George has come into the group and immediately hit the ground running with some standout performances for the U18s. His determination to do well on the pitch has been equally matched by his level of effort and application in the classroom.
"The whole academy staff group have been really pleased with George and they are delighted he has won this award."