Championship Stopper of the Season: Alex Smithies

Super Smithies – bbc.co.uk

Buoyed by impressive recruitment in attacking areas, QPR have been much improved since the turn of the year. There is a reason however, that this upturn in form gives them a comfortable end to the campaign, rather than merely a chance of staying up.

That reason is Alex Smithies. In October’s fortunate West London derby victory at Craven Cottage, he saved one of two missed Fulham penalties. At home to Wolves in December, he was the best player on the pitch. His string of saves at 2-0 was the main reason 10-man QPR went into injury time with a fighting chance and they nearly equalized at the death.

He also played his part in a 2-1 victory at Wolves on New Years’ Eve, which kick-started a run of eight wins in 15 games. That period saw him make a string of great saves against Wigan and stop another Fulham penalty in a 1-1 draw.

His form seems even more impressive when one considers that he was injured in pre-season, a time when there were whispers that he was unsettled down south. Whether or not those rumours are true, he deserves great credit. Looking at either his performances at Loftus Road or his penalty expertise at Craven Cottage, his West London form takes some beating.