ESPN commentator Jim Proudfoot votes for his England Under-21s Player of the Year

ESPN commentator Jim Proudfoot has seen most of England Under-21s' games during their successful Euro 2013 qualification campaign so had no hesitation when asked for his Player of the Year vote.

It's hardly surprising that he went for the man who not only finished qualifying as the Three Lions' top scorer, but also played a pivotal role as Stuart Pearce's side kept six clean sheets in their six games in 2012.

West Bromwich Albion defender Craig Dawson was given his first taste of Under-21s football in September last year and burst onto the scene with two strikes in their 6-0 win over Azerbaijan.

He's now reached a tally of five goals, but it's the defensive record that is just as impressive. Dawson featured in four of the Under-21s six outings this year as they maintained a 100 percent record and conceded no goals. 

"My vote for the England Under-21s Player of the Year would go to Craig Dawson," said Proudfoot emphatically.

"The success of the qualification campaign was underpinned by a superb defensive record, with only three goals conceded in ten games.

"Craig only made his debut in the first of the qualifiers, but gave us an illustration of what lay ahead with a commanding performance and two goals in that game against Azerbaijan.

"From that point on he has been first choice, missing only the Norway game through suspension, when his absence was felt in the second half.

"But as the team player he is, he was there in the stands at Chesterfield shouting his team mates on."

And Proudfoot was also impressed with his coolness from 12 yards, stroking home an important penalty in the play-off.

But for Dawson it was not something new to him, having already tucked away one of Team GB's quarter final shootout kicks againts South Korea at London 2012.

"Craig is supremely brave in a physical sense, but also showed his bottle in calmly converting the crucial penalty against Serbia in the first leg of the play-offs.

"I believe he would be an asset to any of the eight countries who will feature in Israel next summer."

Do you agree with Jim's choice? Well you can have your say by picking your Player of the Year for the Under-21s, as well as the Men's and Women's senior teams, in the polls below.