Jermain Defoe is Sunderland's Player of the Year

Top scorer Jermain Defoe has tonight been crowned Sunderland Player of the Season.

By The Newsroom

Published 25th Apr 2016, 20:03 BST

Updated 25th Apr 2016, 21:13 BST

Players of the Year Jermain Defoe and Beth Mead

Defoe pipped January signing Jan Kirchhoff to the top prize at the annual Sunderland Supporters Association’s awards night, with Duncan Watmore collecting the Young Player of the Year title.

England international Defoe’s 16 goal haul in all competitions this season - 13 of which have come in the Premier League - is the best tally from a Sunderland player since Darren Bent in 2009-10 and has been the main factor in keeping the Black Cats’ survival hopes alive.

The 33-year-old succeeds Seb Larsson in being crowned Player of the Year in his first full season at the Stadium of Light after arriving in a swap deal for flop frontman Jozy Altidore in January 2015.

Beth Mead was named SAFC Ladies Player of the Year.