Hennessey in his heroic season

Last updated : 18 April 2008 By Gary Brookhouse

It's impossible to know what will happen to Wolves between now and 4pm on Sunday May 5.

But one thing is certain - Wayne Hennessey is one of the main contenders for player of the year.

Season ticket holders will vote on Saturday, and they will vote in their thousands for a Wolves goalkeeper - 12 months after Matt Murray landed the silver boot.

There are two reasons why I'm certain the 21-year-old Premier League keeper-in-waiting will stroll to victory - his quite outstanding season that's seen 17 clean sheets, still counting and a dearth of other candidates.

Michael Gray will also figure in the voting after a succession of wholehearted performances that, particularly in the second half of the season, has endeared him to Molineux hearts.

But where are the other candidates in a season that still offers so much if we can win the last four games?

Goals grab headlines, so the fact Sylvan Ebanks-Blake didn't arrive until January won't stop some fans backing him as the player of the season.

And Andy Keogh, despite the flak in the 3-3 draw against QPR, has his admirers after a 10 goals-and-counting campaign.

But then you start to struggle for contenders. Injury surely rules Matt Jarvis and Michael Kightly out of contention, and the centre of midfield has not fired as Mick McCarthy would've hoped.

Jody Craddock, after his bemusing exile in Stoke, has been our most consistent centre half, but the back four has wobbled too often after a miserly start to the season.

And that's left Hennessey with too many opportunities to show what an outstanding talent he already is.

A fascinating selection question would Hennessey or a fit Matt Murray? Big Matt's fantastic when fit - Hennessey is fantastic and always fit.

If we fail to go up this season, Hennessey is already talking about staying at Molineux. But David Moyes didn't watch Wolves v Albion on Tuesday to contrast the atmosphere in the Black Country with that of a Merseyside derby.

He came to watch the young man who could be the Welsh No 1 for the next 15 years.

I wouldn't begrudge him the chance to play alongside Joleon Lescott at Everton, but would hope he sampled Premier League life with Wolves first.

By John Bray and Gary Brookhouse http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A34771593