Watford captain Troy Deeney has been shortlisted for the Championship Player of the Year Award.

The Hornets joint top scorer is one of three players to be the nominated for the award alongside Middlesbrough's on-loan Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford and Ipswich Town forward Daryl Murphy.

The talismanic skipper has been a pivotal figure in helping the Hornets into and keeping them in the thick of the automatic promotion battle, not only through his goals and performances but also his leadership qualities on and off the pitch.

The 26-year-old has scored 20 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions this season and in doing so become the first Watford player in history to net that number of times in three consecutive campaigns after hitting the opener in the 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Easter Monday.

The reigning Watford Observer Player of the Season trails Ipswich striker Murphy by four goals in the race to end the campaign as the Championship top scorer, while Bamford has also had a strong season in front of goal with 17 league efforts to his name.

Deeney's citation on the Football League website reads: "One of the division’s most consistent strikers, Troy has again shown why he is regarded as one of the hottest properties around. He’s shown a deadly touch in front of goal throughout the campaign as he’s reached the 20-goal mark for the third successive season. Highlights include five goals in two games in December, including a hat-trick in a 5-0 win for the Hornets at Fulham, and a run of scoring a goal in six consecutive games through February and March as Watford mounted their promotion charge."

If Deeney wins the award, he will emulate teammate and strike partner Matej Vydra, who was recognised as the Championship's top player in 2013.

The winner of the Championship Player of the Year will be announced on Sunday at the Football League's tenth annual awards ceremony, which is being held at The Brewery, London.