FWA Footballer of the Year

(Redirected from FWA Player of the Year)

The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year (often called the FWA Footballer of the Year, or in England simply the Footballer of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football.[1] The award has been presented since the 1947–48 season, with the inaugural winner being Blackpool winger Stanley Matthews. The latest winner of the award as of 2022–23 is Erling Haaland of Manchester City. Nine players have won the award on more than one occasion, with Thierry Henry having won the award on the most occasions, with three wins in four seasons.

FWA Footballer of the Year
Erling Haaland won the award in 2023.
SportAssociation football
CompetitionAll levels of English football
CountryEngland and Wales
Presented byFWA
History
First award1947–48
Editions76
First winnerEngland Stanley Matthews
Most winsFrance Thierry Henry
(3 awards)
Most recentNorway Erling Haaland
Websitefootballwriters.co.uk/awards

The winner is selected by a vote amongst the members of the Football Writers' Association (FWA), which comprises around 400 football journalists based throughout England.[2] The award was instigated at the suggestion of Charles Buchan, a former professional footballer turned journalist and one of the Association's founders.[3]

Winners edit

The award has been presented on 76 occasions as of 2023, to 67 players. On one occasion two players shared the award for a season.[4] The table also indicates where the winning player also won one or more of the other major "player of the year" awards in English football, namely the Professional Footballers' Association's Players' Player of the Year award (PPY),[5][6][7] Fans' Player of the Year award (FPY),[8] the Young Player of the Year award (YPY),[6][7][9] the Premier League Player of the Season award (PPS),[10],the Premier League Young Player of the Season award (PYPS),[10] and the Football Supporters' Association Player of the Year (FSA).[11][12]

 
Neville Southall's 1985 win was the last time a goalkeeper received the award.
 
Dennis Bergkamp won the award in the 1997–98 season.
 
Thierry Henry was the first player to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
 
Cristiano Ronaldo also won the award consecutively, in the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons.
 
Steven Gerrard won the award in 2009, becoming the first Liverpool player to do so for nineteen years.
Winners of the FWA Footballer of the Year
Year Player Club Also won Notes
1947–48   Stanley Matthews Blackpool
1948–49   Johnny Carey Manchester United [13]
1949–50   Joe Mercer Arsenal
1950–51   Harry Johnston Blackpool
1951–52   Billy Wright Wolverhampton Wanderers
1952–53   Nat Lofthouse Bolton Wanderers
1953–54   Tom Finney Preston North End
1954–55   Don Revie Manchester City
1955–56   Bert Trautmann Manchester City
1956–57   Tom Finney (2) Preston North End [14]
1957–58   Danny Blanchflower Tottenham Hotspur
1958–59   Syd Owen Luton Town
1959–60   Bill Slater Wolverhampton Wanderers
1960–61   Danny Blanchflower (2) Tottenham Hotspur
1961–62   Jimmy Adamson Burnley
1962–63   Stanley Matthews (2) Stoke City [15]
1963–64   Bobby Moore West Ham United
1964–65   Bobby Collins Leeds United
1965–66   Bobby Charlton Manchester United
1966–67   Jack Charlton Leeds United
1967–68   George Best Manchester United
1968–69  
 
Tony Book
Dave Mackay
Manchester City
Derby County
1969–70   Billy Bremner Leeds United
1970–71   Frank McLintock Arsenal
1971–72   Gordon Banks Stoke City
1972–73   Pat Jennings Tottenham Hotspur [16]
1973–74   Ian Callaghan Liverpool
1974–75   Alan Mullery Fulham
1975–76   Kevin Keegan Liverpool
1976–77   Emlyn Hughes Liverpool
1977–78   Kenny Burns Nottingham Forest
1978–79   Kenny Dalglish Liverpool
1979–80   Terry McDermott Liverpool PPY [17]
1980–81   Frans Thijssen Ipswich Town
1981–82   Steve Perryman Tottenham Hotspur
1982–83   Kenny Dalglish (2) Liverpool PPY
1983–84   Ian Rush Liverpool PPY
1984–85   Neville Southall Everton
1985–86   Gary Lineker Everton PPY
1986–87   Clive Allen Tottenham Hotspur PPY
1987–88   John Barnes Liverpool PPY
1988–89   Steve Nicol Liverpool
1989–90   John Barnes (2) Liverpool
1990–91   Gordon Strachan Leeds United
1991–92   Gary Lineker (2) Tottenham Hotspur
1992–93   Chris Waddle Sheffield Wednesday
1993–94   Alan Shearer Blackburn Rovers
1994–95   Jürgen Klinsmann Tottenham Hotspur
1995–96   Eric Cantona Manchester United
1996–97   Gianfranco Zola Chelsea
1997–98   Dennis Bergkamp Arsenal PPY
1998–99   David Ginola Tottenham Hotspur PPY
1999–2000   Roy Keane Manchester United PPY
2000–01   Teddy Sheringham Manchester United PPY
2001–02   Robert Pires Arsenal
2002–03   Thierry Henry Arsenal PPY, FPY
2003–04   Thierry Henry (2) Arsenal PPY, FPY, PPS [18]
2004–05   Frank Lampard Chelsea FPY, PPS [19]
2005–06   Thierry Henry (3) Arsenal PPS [20]
2006–07   Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United PPY, FPY, YPY, PPS [21]
2007–08   Cristiano Ronaldo (2) Manchester United PPY, FPY, PPS
2008–09   Steven Gerrard Liverpool FPY [22]
2009–10   Wayne Rooney Manchester United PPY, FPY, PPS [23]
2010–11   Scott Parker West Ham United [24]
2011–12   Robin van Persie Arsenal PPY, FPY [25]
2012–13   Gareth Bale Tottenham Hotspur PPY, YPY, PPS [26]
2013–14   Luis Suárez Liverpool PPY, FPY, PPS, FSA [11]
2014–15   Eden Hazard Chelsea PPY, PPS [27]
2015–16   Jamie Vardy Leicester City PPS [28]
2016–17   N'Golo Kanté Chelsea PPY, PPS [29]
2017–18   Mohamed Salah Liverpool PPY, FPY, PPS, FSA [30]
2018–19   Raheem Sterling Manchester City YPY [31]
2019–20   Jordan Henderson Liverpool [32]
2020–21   Rúben Dias Manchester City PPS [33]
2021–22   Mohamed Salah (2) Liverpool PPY, FPY [34]
2022–23   Erling Haaland Manchester City PPY, PPS, PYPS [35]

Breakdown of winners edit

By country edit

 
The trophy awarded to the Footballer of the Year from 2015 onwards
Winners of the FWA Footballer of the Year by country
Country Number of wins Winning years
  England
38
1947–48, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20
  Scotland
9
1964–65, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1988–89, 1990–91
  France
7
1995–96, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2016–17
  Northern Ireland
4
1957–58, 1960–61, 1967–68, 1972–73
  Netherlands
3
1980–81, 1997–98, 2011–12
  Wales
3
1983–84, 1984–85, 2012–13
  Portugal
3
2006–07, 2007–08, 2020–21
  Egypt
2
2017–18, 2021–22
  West Germany /   Germany
2
1955–56, 1994–95
  Republic of Ireland
2
1948–49, 1999–2000
  Italy
1
1996–97
  Uruguay
1
2013–14
  Belgium
1
2014–15
  Norway
1
2022–23

‡ — two winners

Winners by club edit

Winners of the FWA Footballer of the Year by club
Club Number of wins Winning years
Liverpool
15
1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–22
Tottenham Hotspur
9
1957–58, 1960–61, 1972–73, 1981–82, 1986–87, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2012–13
Manchester United
9
1948–49, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10
Arsenal
8
1949–50, 1970–71, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2011–12
Manchester City
6
1954–55, 1955–56, 1968–69, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2022–23
Leeds United
4
1964–65, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1990–91
Chelsea
4
1996–97, 2004–05, 2014–15, 2016–17
Everton
2
1984–85, 1985–86
Stoke City
2
1962–63, 1971–72
Wolverhampton Wanderers
2
1951–52, 1959–60
Preston North End
2
1953–54, 1956–57
Blackpool
2
1947–48, 1950–51
West Ham United
2
1963–64, 2010–11
Leicester City
1
2015–16
Blackburn Rovers
1
1993–94
Sheffield Wednesday
1
1992–93
Ipswich Town
1
1980–81
Nottingham Forest
1
1977–78
Fulham
1
1974–75
Derby County
1
1968–69
Burnley
1
1961–62
Luton Town
1
1958–59
Bolton Wanderers
1
1952–53

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "England Player Honours – Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year". England Football Online. 19 June 2007. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  2. ^ "About the FWA". Football Writers' Association. Archived from the original on 8 April 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  3. ^ "FWA Footballer of the Year Award". Football Writers' Association. Archived from the original on 19 September 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  4. ^ "England – Players Awards". RSSSF. 4 October 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  5. ^ "Only here for the peers". BBC Sport. 20 April 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  6. ^ a b "Gerrard named player of the year". BBC Sport. 23 April 2006. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  7. ^ a b "Ronaldo secures PFA awards double". BBC Sport. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  8. ^ "PFA's Official Fan's Player of the Year: Previous Winners". The Professional Footballers' Association. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  9. ^ Frank Keogh (20 April 2001). "Too much too young?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  10. ^ a b "Premier League Awards, All Time Awards". Premier League.com. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Luis Suárez wins Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award". The Guardian. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  12. ^ "Winners: FSF Awards in association with William Hill". Football Supporters' Association. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  13. ^ First winner of the award from outside the United Kingdom.
  14. ^ First player to win the award twice.
  15. ^ First player to win the award with two clubs.
  16. ^ Also won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in 1976 to become the first player to win both awards.
  17. ^ First player to win both PFA and FWA awards in the same season.
  18. ^ First player to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
  19. ^ "Lampard scoops award from writers". BBC Sport. 6 May 2005. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  20. ^ First player to win the award three times.
  21. ^ First player to win five awards in the same season.
  22. ^ "Steven Gerrard wins Footballer of the Year award". The Times. London. 13 May 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  23. ^ "Wayne Rooney nets writers' player of the year award". BBC Sport. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  24. ^ "West Ham's Scott Parker wins Football Writers' award". BBC Sport. 22 April 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  25. ^ "Arsenal's Robin van Persie named FWA Footballer of the Year". BBC Sport. 24 April 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  26. ^ "Bale named FWA Footballer of the Year". Football Writers' Association. 2 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  27. ^ "Eden Hazard wins Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award". Sky Sports. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  28. ^ "Jamie Vardy named Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year 2015/16". Sky Sports. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  29. ^ "N'Golo Kante wins Football Writers' Association award". BBC Sport. 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  30. ^ "Mohamed Salah named writers' Footballer of the Year". BBC Sport. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  31. ^ "Virgil van Dijk and Vivianne Miedema win PFA Player of the Year awards". BBC Sport. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  32. ^ "Jordan Henderson wins football writers' award". Daily Mirror. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  33. ^ "Ruben Dias: Manchester City Defender named FWA Footballer of the Year". Sky Sports. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  34. ^ "Mohamed Salah named Football Writers' Association Men's Footballer of the Year for 2021/22". Sky Sports. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  35. ^ "Erling Haaland named Football Writers' Association Men's Footballer of the Year for 2022/23 | Chelsea's Sam Kerr wins Women's award". Sky Sports. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.

External links edit