RISING star Daniel Deeney has been crowned Player of the Year in the Richmond and District under 11s League.

The 11-year-old striker, who scored over half of his Catterick Junior Football Centre's goals last season, has already been snapped up by Premiership side Leeds United.

Being named as the League's best player was just the icing on the cake for the youngster, who enjoyed a superb campaign.

In nine of Catterick's 16 games, the pacy forward received nine man of the match awards from opposing teams.

As well as those, though, Deeney picked up the top goalscorer and the Players' Player of the Year awards for his Sunday League club. Football Development officer at the Catterick Football Centre is Phil Boon and he revealed the delight Deeney showed when he picked up his trophies.

"Daniel did not even know he was going to be named the best player in the league," said Boon. "He was made up when he got it though.

"He deserves it because he has been playing brilliantly for the under 11s.

"I actually nearly forgot to present the League trophy, so it was even more of a shock for him because he thought the night was over."

Leeds' interest in the player shows already the potential Deeney possesses at such a young age.

And Boon, who is also a coach at Leeds United's centre in Catterick, is convinced the budding Michael Owen can torment defences for a few more years to come.

"Dan has done extremely well," he said. "At Catterick we have some good teams and we won five seven-a-side trophies last season, which proves that.

"But the under 11s side has had a difficult year because we have struggled to find a manager.

"While I've been coaching them parents have had to take them to some matches - but as the season progressed the team got better and better with new recruits coming along.

"Daniel has performed well all the way through and he deserves his award."

Deeney is not the only Catterick player to have caught the attention of Leeds United.

Danny Allan and Ben Jones are also training at the Elland Road club's Football Centre and they too have created a good impression.