FWA Footballer of the Year
The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year (often called the FWA Footballer of the Year, or 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 2007 is Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United. Six players have won the award on more than one occasion, the most recent being Thierry Henry, who won his second award in the 2003–04 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]
Winners
The award has been presented on 60 occasions as of 2007, 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]
Breakdown of winners
Winners by country
Country | Number of wins | Winning years |
---|---|---|
England | 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 | |
Scotland | 1964–65, 1968–69 (one of two winners), 1969–70, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1988–89, 1990–91 | |
France | 1995–96, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06 | |
Northern Ireland | 1957–58, 1960–61, 1967–68, 1972–73 | |
Republic of Ireland | 1948–49, 1999–00 | |
Netherlands | 1980–81, 1997–98 | |
Germany | 1955–56, 1994–95 | |
Wales | 1983–84, 1984–85 | |
Portugal | 2006–07 | |
Italy | 1996–97 |
Winners by club
Club | Number of wins | Winning years |
---|---|---|
Liverpool | 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90 | |
Tottenham Hotspur | 1957–58, 1960–61, 1972–73, 1981–82, 1986–87, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1998–99 | |
Manchester United | 1948–49, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2006–07 | |
Arsenal | 1949–50, 1970–71, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06 | |
Leeds United | 1964–65, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1990–91 | |
Manchester City | 1954–55, 1955–56, 1968–69 (one of two winners) | |
Chelsea | 1996–97, 2004–05 | |
Everton | 1984–85, 1985–86 | |
Stoke City | 1962–63, 1971–72 | |
Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1951–52, 1959–60 | |
Preston North End | 1953–54, 1956–57 | |
Blackpool | 1947–48, 1950–51 | |
Blackburn Rovers | 1993–94 | |
Sheffield Wednesday | 1992–93 | |
Ipswich Town | 1980–81 | |
Nottingham Forest | 1977–78 | |
Fulham | 1974–75 | |
Derby County | 1968–69 (one of two winners) | |
West Ham United | 1963–64 | |
Burnley | 1961–62 | |
Luton Town | 1958–59 | |
Bolton Wanderers | 1952–53 |
See also
- PFA Players' Player of the Year
- SPFA Players' Player of the Year
- SFWA Footballer of the Year
- PFAI Players' Player of the Year
References
- ^ "England Player Honours – Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year". England Football Online. 2007-06-19. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- ^ "About the FWA". Football Writers' Association. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- ^ "FWA Footballer of the Year Award". Football Writers' Association. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- ^ "England – Players Awards". RSSSF. 2007-10-04. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- ^ "Only here for the peers". BBC. 2001-04-20. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
- ^ a b "Gerrard named player of the year". BBC. 2006-04-23. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
- ^ a b "Ronaldo secures PFA awards double". BBC. 2007-04-22. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
- ^ "PFA's Official Fan's Player of the Year: Previous Winners". The Professional Footballers' Association. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
- ^ Frank Keogh (2001-04-20). "Too much too young?". BBC. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- ^ First winner of the award from outside the United Kingdom.
- ^ First winner of the award from outside the British Isles.
- ^ First player to win the award twice.
- ^ First player to win the award with two different clubs.
- ^ Also won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in 1976 to become the first player to win both awards.
- ^ First player to win both PFA and FWA awards in the same season.
- ^ First player to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
- ^ First player to win the award three times.
- ^ First player to win four awards in the same season.