Newport County AFC defender Matty Dolan has been nominated for the PFA Player in the Community award for 2020 at the EFL Awards.
Dolan has gone above and beyond over the last year, having supported and shown an exceptional attitude to a number of County in the Community initiatives.
The 28-year-old attended a number of events and school visits to deliver equipment to local pupils at the start of 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic hit in March.
Year 5 had the amazing opportunity to chat to @NewportCounty player Matthew Dolan on zoom today followed by an energetic session with @CountyCommunity. Thanks again 😀⚽️ pic.twitter.com/dmPRNBDm0M
— St Joseph's Primary (@StJosPrimary) December 10, 2020
Despite being in lockdown, Dolan has continued to support the community projects virtually and has been present at the virtual 'We Wear the Same Shirt' sessions which have been held over Zoom. He has also participated in quizzes and also engaged in Q&A sessions with those present on the calls.
While local walking football sessions and school visits have been put on hold due to the pandemic, Dolan has spent time engaging with participants and pupils virtually over the last year.
Maintaing social interaction with Newport County AFC's supporters has been key in these unprecedented times, and Dolan given up his time to enjoy discussions with fans who have found it difficult to cope during the pandemic.
The defender has offered an insight into life as a professional footballer and even been advised by participants on where he should place his penalties and free-kicks on the pitch!
What a great laugh at our online quiz with the We Wear The Same Shirt gang 🤣👏🏻 nice time catching up and good to see you all smiling as ever! Thanks for coming along @mdolan63 your support is always appreciated ⚽️#WeWearTheSameShirt@FAWTrust pic.twitter.com/14nGFWFUYN
— County in the Community (@CountyCommunity) April 23, 2020
The annual awards recognise outstanding community engagement from players across the EFL’s 72 clubs during the calendar year.
Dolan's entry, among with players from other clubs across the EFL, will be judged and shortlisted for the award, before winners for each league are announced later this year, along with an overall PFA Player in the Community.
