SFWA Footballer of the Year

Henrik Larsson has won the award twice.

The Scottish Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year (often called the SFWA Footballer of the Year, or simply the Scottish Footballer of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in Scottish football.[1] The award has been presented since the 1964–65 season, and the winner is selected by a vote amongst the members of the Scottish Football Writers' Association (SFWA), which comprises over 100 football journalists based throughout Scotland.[2] The first winner was Celtic's Billy McNeill, and the first non-Scottish winner was Mark Hateley of Rangers in 1994. Six players have won the award on more than one occasion, the most recent being Leigh Griffiths, who won his second award in the 2015–16 season.[3]

The award was instigated in 1965, eight years after the association was founded, and committee member Allan Herron was charged with obtaining the permission of the Scottish Football Association to make the first award. Each member of the association casts one vote and also nominates a runner-up. In the event of a tie for first place the number of runner-up votes is taken into consideration.[2] Although it is the older of the two awards, the SFWA award is considered by the players themselves to be of secondary importance to the PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year because the winner of the PFA Scotland award is chosen by his fellow professionals.[4]

List of winners

The award has been presented on 50 occasions as of 2014, with 44 different individual players winning. On one occasion the award was presented collectively to the Scotland national squad.[5] The table also indicates where the winning player also won the PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year award (SPFA).[6] In 2012–13, Leigh Griffiths became the first player to win the SFWA award and the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award in the same season.[7]

Brian McClair won the award in 1987.
Ally McCoist was the 1992 winner.
Shunsuke Nakamura was the 2007 winner.
Season PlayerClubAlso wonNotes
1964–65  SCO McNeill, BillyBilly McNeill Celtic [8]
1965–66  SCOGreig, JohnJohn Greig Rangers [8]
1966–67  SCO Simpson, RonnieRonnie Simpson Celtic [8]
1967–68  SCOWallace, GordonGordon WallaceRaith Rovers [8]
1968–69  SCO Murdoch, BobbyBobby Murdoch Celtic [8]
1969–70  SCOStanton, PatPat Stanton Hibernian [8]
1970–71  SCOBuchan, MartinMartin Buchan Aberdeen [8]
1971–72  SCOSmith, DaveDave Smith Rangers [8]
1972–73  SCOConnelly, GeorgeGeorge Connelly Celtic [8]
1973–74  SCOScotland World Cup squad N/A [8]
1974–75  SCO Jardine, SandySandy Jardine Rangers [8]
1975–76  SCOGreig, JohnJohn Greig Rangers [note 1][8]
1976–77  SCOMcGrain, DannyDanny McGrain Celtic [8]
1977–78  SCOJohnstone, DerekDerek Johnstone RangersSPFA [note 2][8]
1978–79  SCO Ritchie, AndyAndy Ritchie Morton [8]
1979–80  SCO Strachan, GordonGordon Strachan Aberdeen [8]
1980–81  SCORough, AlanAlan Rough Partick Thistle [8]
1981–82  SCOSturrock, PaulPaul Sturrock Dundee United [8]
1982–83  SCO Nicholas, CharlieCharlie Nicholas CelticSPFA [8]
1983–84  SCOMiller, WillieWillie Miller AberdeenSPFA [9]
1984–85  SCOMcAlpine, HamishHamish McAlpine Dundee United [8]
1985–86  SCOJardine, SandySandy Jardine Heart of Midlothian [note 3][8]
1986–87  SCO McClair, BrianBrian McClair CelticSPFA [8]
1987–88  SCOMcStay, PaulPaul McStay CelticSPFA [10]
1988–89  SCOGough, RichardRichard Gough Rangers [8]
1989–90  SCOMcLeish, AlexAlex McLeish Aberdeen [8]
1990–91  SCOMalpas, MauriceMaurice Malpas Dundee United [8]
1991–92  SCOMcCoist, AllyAlly McCoist RangersSPFA [8]
1992–93  SCO Goram, AndyAndy Goram RangersSPFA [8]
1993–94  ENGHateley, MarkMark Hateley RangersSPFA [note 4][8]
1994–95  DENLaudrup, BrianBrian Laudrup RangersSPFA [note 5][8]
1995–96  ENGGascoigne, PaulPaul Gascoigne RangersSPFA [8]
1996–97  DEN Laudrup, BrianBrian Laudrup Rangers [8]
1997–98  SCOBurley, CraigCraig Burley Celtic [8]
1998–99  SWELarsson, HenrikHenrik Larsson CelticSPFA [8]
1999–00  SCOFerguson, BarryBarry Ferguson Rangers [8]
2000–01  SWELarsson, HenrikHenrik Larsson CelticSPFA [8]
2001–02  SCOLambert, PaulPaul Lambert Celtic [8]
2002–03  SCOFerguson, BarryBarry Ferguson RangersSPFA [8]
2003–04  SCOMcNamara, JackieJackie McNamara Celtic [8]
2004–05  WALHartson, JohnJohn Hartson CelticSPFA [note 6][8]
2005–06  SCO Gordon, CraigCraig Gordon Heart of Midlothian [8]
2006–07  JPN Nakamura, ShunsukeShunsuke Nakamura CelticSPFA [note 7][8]
2007–08  ESP Cuéllar, CarlosCarlos Cuéllar Rangers [8]
2008–09  SCO Caldwell, GaryGary Caldwell Celtic [11][8]
2009–10  SCO Weir, DavidDavid Weir Rangers [12][8]
2010–11  HON Izaguirre, EmilioEmilio Izaguirre Celtic SPFA[13][8]
2011–12  SCO Mulgrew, CharlieCharlie Mulgrew Celtic SPFA[14][8]
2012–13  SCO Griffiths, LeighLeigh Griffiths Hibernian [7][8]
2013–14  SCO Commons, KrisKris Commons Celtic SPFA[15][8]
2014–15  SCO Gordon, CraigCraig Gordon Celtic [16][8]
2015–16  SCO Griffiths, LeighLeigh Griffiths Celtic SPFA [3]

Breakdown of winners

Winners by country

CountryNumber of winsWinning seasons
 Scotland
42
1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
 Sweden
2
1998–99, 2000–01
 Denmark
2
1994–95, 1996–97
 England
2
1993–94, 1995–96
 Spain
1
2007–08
 Japan
1
2006–07
 Wales
1
2004–05
 Honduras
1
2010–11

Winners by club

ClubNumber of winsWinning seasons
Celtic
21
1964–65, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
Rangers
16
1965–66, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1988–89, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1999–00, 2002–03, 2007–08, 2009–10
Aberdeen
4
1970–71, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1989–90
Dundee United
3
1981–82, 1984–85, 1990–91
Heart of Midlothian
2
1985–86, 2005–06
Hibernian
2
1969–70, 2012–13
Partick Thistle
1
1980–81
Morton
1
1978–79
Scotland
1
1973–74
Raith Rovers
1
1967–68

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ First player to win the award twice.
  2. ↑ First player to win SFWA and SPFA awards in the same season.
  3. ↑ First player to win the award twice with two different clubs.
  4. ↑ First non-Scottish winner.
  5. ↑ First winner from outside the British Isles
  6. ↑ Hartson shared the SPFA award with Fernando Ricksen.
  7. ↑ First winner from outside Europe.

References

  1. ↑ Neil Cameron (2008-04-10). "I Would Have Voted For Ranger Alan Hutton As Best Player, Reveals Shunsuke Nakamura". The Daily Record. Retrieved 2008-02-29. We all have opinions about who is the season's best player and a year ago it was Nakamura who came out on top in voting for both the PFA and Football Writers' award.
  2. 1 2 Jim Black. "Fifty years of passion and prose". Sunday Herald. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  3. 1 2 Mullen, Scott (9 May 2016). "Leigh Griffiths named SFWA Player of the Year for second time - and looks for a third". Evening Times. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  4. ↑ Stuart Lovell (2008-04-07). "Why Aiden should run away with player prize". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  5. ↑ "Scotland – Player of the Year". RSSSF. 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  6. ↑ Barnes, Stuart (2007). News of the World Football Annual 2007–08. Invincible Press. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-00-725555-9.
  7. 1 2 Forsyth, Roddy (17 May 2013). "Hibs striker Leigh Griffiths nets another accolade". Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 Brown, Alan (3 December 2015). "Scotland - Player of the Year". RSSSF. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  9. ↑ Paul, Ian (11 May 1984). "McStay up for two awards". Glasgow Herald. p. 9. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "A word in your ear — from one law man to another". Glasgow Herald. 2 May 1988. p. 9. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "Celtic ace Gary Caldwell scoops football writers award". Sunday Mail. 2009-05-10. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
  12. ↑ Halliday, Stephen (2010-05-08). "Walter Smith hails player of the year David Weir as 'best professional I have worked with' award". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
  13. ↑ "More awards for Izaguirre, Goodwillie and Paatelainen". BBC Sport. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  14. ↑ "Charlie Mulgrew caps fine season by being named Scottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year". Daily Telegraph. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  15. ↑ Smith, Andrew (11 May 2014). "Kris Commons voted writers' player of the year". Scotland on Sunday. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  16. ↑ Halliday, Stephen (20 May 2015). "Craig Gordon named writers' Player of the Year". The Scotsman. Retrieved 20 May 2015.

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