Connor Tomlinson has been named in the LFE's 'The 11' for his fantastic work on and off the pitch during February.
'The 11' acknowledges the football and academic progress of Under-18 players on apprenticeships at current or former English Football League (EFL) clubs - and is also designed to assess other factors, including involvement in community or charity-based initiatives.
This accolade celebrates the holistic development of young players, a barometer which is also applied to the LFE Apprentice of the Year Awards presented at The EFL Awards dinner in April. England Under-20 World Cup winners Ademola Lookman (formerly Charlton Athletic), Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (formerly Sheffield United) and Lewis Cook (formerly Leeds United) have all previously been named in 'The 11'.
Everton forward Lookman and AFC Bournemouth midfielder Cook also went on to become Apprentice of the Year winners, as did Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham) and Watford's Ben Wilmot (formerly Stevenage), who were both featured prior to picking up the 2018 awards in the Sky Bet Championship and Sky Bet League Two, respectively.
Others to previously appear in this select group include Leeds United's Jamie Shackleton, Swansea City striker Oli McBurnie (formerly Bradford City) and England Under-17 World Cup winners Steven Sessegnon (Fulham) and Billy Crellin (Fleetwood Town).
The 11 – February 2019:
* Dwight Pascal (Barnet)
* Luca Connell (Bolton Wanderers)
* Ethan Vale (Burton Albion)
* Ben Worman (Cambridge United)
* Mattie Pollock (Grimsby Town)
* Connor Tomlinson (Luton Town)
* Owen James (Oxford United)
* Jack Gurney (Peterborough United)
* Jack Baxter (Preston North End)
* Angelo Capello (Sheffield United)
* Charlie Jolley (Wigan Athletic)
The LFE said about Connor: Connor hit the headlines prior to starting his apprenticeship when he became Luton's youngest ever player at the age of 15 years 199 days after appearing in the dying moments of a Checkatrade Trophy win against Gillingham.
He had to wait two years for his next outing – in the same competition – but has made great progress in the youth team and plays regularly for the reserves in the Central League, while he has also experienced a spell on loan at Hemel Hempstead Town.
Regional Officer Gavin Willacy said: "Connor has made a terrific impact on the pitch, leading to involvement with the first-team, but it is in the classroom where I have been most impressed with him.
"He has finished his framework, passed functional skills and completed his NVQ. In addition, he has gone from studying a subsidiary diploma to a full diploma having changed his attitude totally from disengaged negativity to being positive and professional. An outstanding turnaround."
LFE chief executive Sarah Stephen added: "The 11 is directly associated with apprentice reviews that are conducted by our regional officers throughout the season. It is a great way to highlight the achievements and progression of talented young footballers who apply themselves to all aspects of their apprenticeship."