After being named Crystal Palace Player of the Year at the club's end-of-season awards, midfielder Hayden Mullins says he is still waiting to be offered a contract extension by the club.

Mullins, 23, was a popular choice for the fans' player-of-the-year award, following an outstanding season where he has played in midfield and right across the three-man defence.

He said: "I'm really pleased. It's nice to win an award especially when it's voted for by the fans because it shows that the work you do on the field is appreciated."

Back in October 2002, appreciated was the last thing Mullins felt, as constant speculation about his future and a horrendous backpass which cost three points against Wimbledon saw him regularly booed at Selhurst Park. Mullins said: "Everyone makes mistakes and it's how you bounce back form it that's important. I feel I did that this season."

From October on Mullins was Palace's "Mr Consistent" and his two performances against Liverpool when he shackled Michael Owen stood out.

His manager Steve Kember said: "Hayden's proved what a good consistent player he is by playing at the back and in midfield. He's very ver-satile and I thought it was fully deserved. Two or three of his displays especially in the cup games were first class."

In January, Birmingham made a paltry £600,000 offer for Mullins which was rejected out of hand by Jordan, but with just a year left on his current deal, the prospect of renewed Premiership interest looms large. Mullins said: "We have talked about a new deal last year, but the club haven't come back to me yet. I am waiting and if there is a deal on the table I will certainly consider it. But until that happens I can't weigh up my options."

Kember says the club is likely to make Mullins an offer in the coming weeks. He said: "From the club's point of view, it is a fact of football that the bigger clubs are going to come and look at your better players. We will have to take it as it comes and see what happens. I'm sure it will be spoken about with the chairman this week."

Palace midfielder Steven Thomson is still waiting to hear whether he will be offered a new contract, but the futures of the other six out-of-contract players have all been decided.

Thomson, 24, was up in Edinburgh last week for a trial with Hibernian, but he wants to stay at Palace and is awaiting a new contract offer.

Kember said: "Steven said it went quite well up at Hibs and we will see how it develops over the next week."

Latvian goalkeeper Alex Kolinko has effectively left the club, after making it clear he does not want to sign a new deal, before heading back to Latvia for two international matches in June, which will take him to the end of his current Palace deal.

Dele Adebola, and Cedric Berthelin have all been offered new deals at the club, which they are currently considering.

Kember said: "They have been made offers and it is up to the players now what they want to do." Youth Academy prospects Gareth Williams, David Hunt, Ben Surey and Ben Watson will be offered senior contracts this week.

Kember said: "They will be made offers and Ben Watson will be made an offer to become a full time pro next week.

"It means we haven't got to go out and get somebody else for those positions and it is good to have players coming through from the Academy."

Palace and England under-19 winger Wayne Routledge was voted Young Player of the Year and Kember says he has the "world at his feet".

The Croydon-born 17-year-old emerged from the youth ranks to score three senior goals this season, including one against Wolves just minutes into his full senior debut.

Kember said: "Wayne has done well for us this season. He had ups and downs but he came back well at the end of the season.

"He's young, he's learning and I think if he listens to what we have to say in pre-season he will become an even better all-round player. He's got undoubted individual skill but sometimes he's got to be more aware of what else is going on with the other players."

Having represented England at Under-16, 17 and 18 levels, former Archbishop Lanfranc pupil Routledge is currently away in Dublin with the England Under-19 squad.

Kember said: "He's with the Under-19s now and he's got the world at his feet. It is up to Wayne to prove that he's good enough to go on and play for the Under 21s and I can't see a reason why he can't."

May 29, 2003 14:00