KEVIN Nolan, Bolton's 19-year-old midfield star, is a bright lad off the pitch as well as on it.

He has won Adidas Scholar-of-the-Year Award for 2001 in a field of 570 youngsters from more than 30 club academies.

The scholarship programme, introduced in 1998 by the PFA, concentrates on developing three main areas - football, education and character.

All clubs involved were invited to put forward nominees for the award, and Scouser Nolan won the award after excelling in all three areas.

Nolan, a product of the Bolton Academy, made his debut at 17 and had more than 30 senior appearances last season when he was also in the England Under-18 squad. He scored the fastest Premiership goal of the season when Wanderers won 5-0 at Leicester in August.

His prize includes a computer, an Adidas Golden Boot Trophy, top of the range Adidas watch and a 12-month boot contract.

Fran Walsh, Head of Education and Welfare at the Bolton Academy who nominated Nolan, said: ''The manager, myself and everyone at the club are delighted for Kevin. It's a prestigious award and shows how well he has done in all areas of the course, not just on the field.''

And Nolan said: ''It's a great honour, not just for me but for Bolton and the Academy staff.

''I'd like to thank them for all their help over the years I was a scholar. They've all been brilliant.''

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