Ben Johnson believes everyone associated with West Ham United can take pride in what has been a great season for the Club.
Johnson was named the Mark Noble Young Hammer of the Year at the 2021/22 Player Awards on Monday evening, claiming the accolade for a second consecutive campaign.
The Young Hammer of the Year Award was announced as being renamed in honour of Mark Noble in recognition of his contributions to the Hammers during his incredible 18-year career with the Club, which will conclude at the end of the season.
The 22-year-old’s progression this season has seen the versatile full-back make a career-high 32 first-team appearances so far this season, including 18 in the Premier League and eight in the UEFA Europa League.
Johnson would pass 50 senior West Ham outings in March and earned his first England U21s call-up and appearance later that month in a 3-0 win away to Albania.
Reflecting on his own year, and the team’s efforts overall, Johnson could not deny it has been a special season.
“This season has been amazing,” Johnson said. “It’s been a great season personally and as a team. The staff too, it’s all been fantastic.
“With all the games we’ve played - and even the games we’ve lost - we’ve always been in the game and put up a fight.
“It keeps us together and hopefully this will be the changing room for years to come. It’s been wonderful.”
The 2021/22 season would also see Johnson net the second Premier League goal of his career; a well-taken finish in a 4-1 away win at Aston Villa at the end of October.
The defender’s mature finish was followed by a notable celebration, one which he admits was discussed with teammates over breakfast that very day.
Johnson laughed: “It came from school and then the lads told me I had to do it. I scored and then I thought, ‘What do I do?’
“It came up at breakfast that morning, so I had to do it! It’s definitely not happening again though.”
