Ellie Brazil was crowned Southampton FC Women’s First Team Fans’ Player of the Season after a debut campaign that quickly made her one of the club’s most popular players. The 27-year-old forward received 13% of the supporters’ vote, edging Mary Bashford on 11% and Atlanta Primus on 10% in a tight finish decided by hundreds of fans on the Saints app.

Brazil’s first season at the club ended with numbers that helped explain the vote. She finished as Southampton’s second-top goalscorer with eight goals in 24 games and added four assists, giving the team a steady attacking return across the campaign. Her standout moment came in February, when she struck a memorable hat-trick at St Mary’s against Crystal Palace.

The award underlined how quickly Brazil connected with supporters. She thanked fans for voting for her and said their backing at St Mary’s, the Silverlake and on the road had not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. Brazil said the level of support from those who travelled throughout the country had been “insane,” and added that she could not wait to see them again next season.

The vote was close enough to show how evenly spread the support was, with the top three separated by only three percentage points. That narrow margin also gave weight to the season Brazil had put together in her first year in Southampton colors, where her goals and assists were matched by one performance that fans are likely to remember longest. For Southampton, the result is a straightforward signal that Brazil arrived and delivered immediately.