Wolves captain Conor Coady launches search for Young Citizen of the Year

The annual award recognises youngsters aged 13 to 19 who have gone the extra mile and made a significant contribution to the city.

And the Wolves favourite was on hand to begin the latest search for the city's young stars.

Coady, who has starred during the Premier League campaign and is an ambassador for the award, said he was delighted to be supporting the scheme once again.

He formed a close bond with young fundraiser Alfie Baugh, from Tettenhall, through his work supporting the award. He was eight when he was named as a Young Citizen of the Year in 2015.

He said: "It's great to follow it and support it. I got to know a little boy called Alfie Baugh through this award so it is great to support something like this."

The Liverpool-born defender said he was proud to use his role as captain to see young people in the city who are doing remarkable things.

"There is nothing better. We all know how close Wolverhampton is and a big factor in that is the football club, especially with how it's going at the moment," he said.

"We want to go speak to people and see how their lives are, it's good for all the boys to go out and see people."

The Young Citizen of the Year is organised by the city’s five Rotary clubs in partnership with Wolverhampton Council, the Express & Star, Wolves, Waitrose and The Way Youth Zone, and is now in its sixth year.

Previous winners Millie Betteridge and Taranveer Khangura joined Coady, along with organisers and civic leaders to launch the award at Wolves' Compton Park training ground.

Deputy mayor Claire Darke said: "It's a great celebration of the talent and dedication of young people in the city.

"It's great to promote the award and we want people to come forward and nominate young citizens. It is important to celebrate young people in the city as they are our future.

"The Rotary do a great job organising this award and celebrating the young people of Wolverhampton.

The award will be made to a young person who is over the age of 13 on January 1 and under the age of 19 on August 31 who is living, studying or working within Wolverhampton City boundaries.

Nominations can be made at wolverhamptonyoungcitizen.org.uk.