FWA Footballer of the Year

Steven Gerrard won the award in 2009, becoming the first Liverpool player to do so for nineteen years.

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, when the inaugural winner was Blackpool winger Stanley Matthews. The latest winner of the award as of 2009–10 is Wayne Rooney of Manchester United. Eight players have won the award on more than one occasion, the most recent being Cristiano Ronaldo, who won his second award in the 2007–08 season.

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]

Contents

Winners

The award has been presented on 62 occasions as of 2009, with 55 different winners. 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] and Young Player of the Year award (YPY).[6][7][9]

Neville Southall's 1985 win was the last time a goalkeeper received the award.
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.
Year Player Club Also won Notes
1947–48 England Stanley Matthews Blackpool
1948–49 Republic of Ireland Carey, JohnnyJohnny Carey Manchester United [10]
1949–50 England Mercer, JoeJoe Mercer Arsenal
1950–51 England Johnston, HarryHarry Johnston Blackpool
1951–52 England Wright, BillyBilly Wright Wolverhampton Wanderers [11]
1952–53 England Lofthouse, NatNat Lofthouse Bolton Wanderers
1953–54 England Finney, TomTom Finney Preston North End
1954–55 England Revie, DonDon Revie Manchester City
1955–56 Germany Trautmann, BertBert Trautmann Manchester City
1956–57 England Finney, TomTom Finney Preston North End [12]
1957–58 Northern Ireland Blanchflower, DannyDanny Blanchflower Tottenham Hotspur
1958–59 England Owen, SydSyd Owen Luton Town
1959–60 England Slater, BillBill Slater Wolverhampton Wanderers
1960–61 Northern Ireland Blanchflower, DannyDanny Blanchflower Tottenham Hotspur
1961–62 England Adamson, JimmyJimmy Adamson Burnley
1962–63 England Matthews, StanleyStanley Matthews Stoke City [13]
1963–64 England Moore, BobbyBobby Moore West Ham United
1964–65 Scotland Collins, BobbyBobby Collins Leeds United
1965–66 England Charlton, BobbyBobby Charlton Manchester United
1966–67 England Charlton, JackJack Charlton Leeds United
1967–68 Northern Ireland Best, GeorgeGeorge Best Manchester United
1968–69 England Book, TonyTony Book (joint winner) Manchester City
1968–69 Scotland Dave MackayDave Mackay (joint winner) Derby County
1969–70 Scotland Bremner, BillyBilly Bremner Leeds United
1970–71 Scotland McLintock, FrankFrank McLintock Arsenal
1971–72 England Banks, GordonGordon Banks Stoke City
1972–73 Northern Ireland Jennings, PatPat Jennings Tottenham Hotspur [14]
1973–74 England Callaghan, IanIan Callaghan Liverpool
1974–75 England Mullery, AlanAlan Mullery Fulham
1975–76 England Keegan, KevinKevin Keegan Liverpool
1976–77 England Hughes, EmlynEmlyn Hughes Liverpool
1977–78 Scotland Burns, KennyKenny Burns Nottingham Forest
1978–79 Scotland Dalglish, KennyKenny Dalglish Liverpool
1979–80 England McDermott, TerryTerry McDermott Liverpool PPY [15]
1980–81 Netherlands Thijssen, FransFrans Thijssen Ipswich Town
1981–82 England Perryman, SteveSteve Perryman Tottenham Hotspur
1982–83 Scotland Dalglish, KennyKenny Dalglish Liverpool PPY
1983–84 Wales Rush, IanIan Rush Liverpool PPY
1984–85 Wales Southall, NevilleNeville Southall Everton
1985–86 England Lineker, GaryGary Lineker Everton PPY
1986–87 England Allen, CliveClive Allen Tottenham Hotspur PPY
1987–88 England Barnes, JohnJohn Barnes Liverpool PPY
1988–89 Scotland Nicol, SteveSteve Nicol Liverpool
1989–90 England Barnes, JohnJohn Barnes Liverpool
1990–91 Scotland Strachan, GordonGordon Strachan Leeds United
1991–92 England Lineker, GaryGary Lineker Tottenham Hotspur
1992–93 England Waddle, ChrisChris Waddle Sheffield Wednesday
1993–94 England Shearer, AlanAlan Shearer Blackburn Rovers
1994–95 Germany Klinsmann, JürgenJürgen Klinsmann Tottenham Hotspur
1995–96 France Cantona, EricEric Cantona Manchester United
1996–97 Italy Zola, GianfrancoGianfranco Zola Chelsea
1997–98 Netherlands Bergkamp, DennisDennis Bergkamp Arsenal PPY
1998–99 France Ginola, DavidDavid Ginola Tottenham Hotspur PPY
1999–00 Republic of Ireland Keane, RoyRoy Keane Manchester United PPY
2000–01 England Sheringham, TeddyTeddy Sheringham Manchester United PPY
2001–02 France Pirès, RobertRobert Pirès Arsenal
2002–03 France Henry, ThierryThierry Henry Arsenal PPY, FPY
2003–04 France Henry, ThierryThierry Henry Arsenal PPY, FPY [16]
2004–05 England Lampard, FrankFrank Lampard Chelsea FPY
2005–06 France Henry, ThierryThierry Henry Arsenal [17]
2006–07 Portugal Ronaldo, CristianoCristiano Ronaldo Manchester United PPY, FPY, YPY [18]
2007–08 Portugal Ronaldo, CristianoCristiano Ronaldo Manchester United PPY, FPY [19]
2008–09 England Gerrard, StevenSteven Gerrard Liverpool FPY [20]
2009–10 England Rooney, WayneWayne Rooney Manchester United PPY [21]

Breakdown of winners

Winners by country

Country Number of wins Winning years
England England
34
 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 (one of two winners), 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
Scotland Scotland
9
 1964–65, 1968–69 (one of two winners), 1969–70, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1988–89, 1990–91
France France
6
 1995–96, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland
4
 1957–58, 1960–61, 1967–68, 1972–73
Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland
2
 1948–49, 1999–00
Netherlands Netherlands
2
 1980–81, 1997–98
Germany Germany
2
 1955–56, 1994–95
Wales Wales
2
 1983–84, 1984–85
Portugal Portugal
2
 2006–07, 2007–08
Italy Italy
1
 1996–97

Winners by club

Club Number of wins Winning years
Liverpool
11
 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 2008–09
Tottenham Hotspur
8
 1957–58, 1960–61, 1972–73, 1981–82, 1986–87, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1998–99
Manchester United
9
 1948–49, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10
Arsenal
7
 1949–50, 1970–71, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06
Leeds United
4
 1964–65, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1990–91
Manchester City
3
 1954–55, 1955–56, 1968–69 (one of two winners)
Chelsea
2
 1996–97, 2004–05
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
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 (one of two winners)
West Ham United
1
 1963–64
Burnley
1
 1961–62
Luton Town
1
 1958–59
Bolton Wanderers
1
 1952–53

See also

References

  1. ↑ "England Player Honours – Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year". England Football Online. 19 June 2007. http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamHons/HonsFWAFbYr.html. Retrieved 17 March 2008. 
  2. ↑ "About the FWA". Football Writers' Association. http://www.footballwriters.co.uk/about/. Retrieved 18 March 2008. 
  3. ↑ "FWA Footballer of the Year Award". Football Writers' Association. http://www.footballwriters.co.uk/awards/footballer-of-the-year/. Retrieved 18 March 2008. 
  4. ↑ "England – Players Awards". RSSSF. 4 October 2007. http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/engpoy.html. Retrieved 18 March 2008. 
  5. ↑ "Only here for the peers". BBC. 20 April 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1287470.stm. Retrieved 14 March 2008. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Gerrard named player of the year". BBC. 23 April 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4935884.stm. Retrieved 14 March 2008. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Ronaldo secures PFA awards double". BBC. 22 April 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6582201.stm. Retrieved 14 March 2008. 
  8. ↑ "PFA's Official Fan's Player of the Year: Previous Winners". The Professional Footballers' Association. http://www.givemefootball.com/rolls_of_honour/fansplayerofyearroll.html. Retrieved 14 March 2008. 
  9. ↑ Frank Keogh (20 April 2001). "Too much too young?". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1287799.stm. Retrieved 17 March 2008. 
  10. ↑ First winner of the award from outside the United Kingdom.
  11. ↑ 2nd Jackie Milburn; 3rd Joe Harvey; 4th Ron Burgess (The Times, 25 April 1952: Footballer of the Year)
  12. ↑ First player to win the award twice.
  13. ↑ First player to win the award with two different clubs.
  14. ↑ Also won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in 1976 to become the first player to win both awards.
  15. ↑ First player to win both PFA and FWA awards in the same season.
  16. ↑ First player to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
  17. ↑ First player to win the award three times.
  18. ↑ First player to win four awards in the same season.
  19. ↑ "Another award for Ronaldo". The Press Association. 2 May 2008. http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gZNvdFlXRc-f6oU9GFvmls_OrmXA. Retrieved 2 May 2008. 
  20. ↑ "Steven Gerrard wins Footballer of the Year award". The Times. London. 13 May 2009. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article6278060.ece. Retrieved 13 May 2009. 
  21. ↑ "Wayne Rooney nets writers' player of the year award". BBC. 30 April 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8653254.stm. Retrieved 30 April 2010. 

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