Norwich City F.C. Player of the Season
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Roberts_celebrates.jpg/220px-Roberts_celebrates.jpg)
The Norwich City player of the year award is voted for annually by Norwich City's supporters, in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season.[1] As a mark of respect, the trophy is named The Barry Butler memorial trophy after the club captain who was killed in a car accident on 9 April 1966.[2]
This is the more prestigious of just two awards made by Norwich City itself each year to its players, the other being the 'Young Player of the Year' accolade.[3] The 2003–04 winner Craig Fleming made clear just how important this award is to Norwich City players, "It is something you dream of winning... it is such a prestigious award".[4] Other awards available are awarded by other bodies, namely the Capital Canaries, Norwich City Independent Supporters Association and the "Ambassador Club".[5]
Since the inaugural award was made to Terry Allcock, seven players have won the award twice, most recently Darren Huckerby in 2005 and 2007.[5] World Cup winner Martin Peters was the first to win the trophy in consecutive seasons, a feat since emulated by strikers Kevin Drinkell and Iwan Roberts.[6] Just one winner has gone on to manage the club, Dave Stringer,[7] the 1972 winner, although Joe Royle went on to manage arch-rivals Ipswich Town.[8]
Voting mechanism
This award is voted for by the fans of the club. Toward the end of the season, fans are invited to vote, either by submitting a paper slip to the club's Carrow Road offices, or by email or text message, with the winner being the player that polls the most votes.[9] A percentage of the votes from the 'Player of the Month' awards throughout the season also count towards the final votes for Player of the year.[9]
List of winners
Norwich City F.C. Hall of Fame inductee[10]
Player name in bold text represents players still on the playing staff of the club
Summary of wins by playing position
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/GaryHoltCapitalCanariesPotSApril2002.jpg/220px-GaryHoltCapitalCanariesPotSApril2002.jpg)
Position[22] | Number of winners[23] |
---|---|
Goalkeeper | 6 |
Defender | 16 |
Midfielder | 6 |
Forward[24] | 12 |
Summary of wins by nationality
Nationality | Number of winners[25] |
---|---|
English | 28 |
Irish | 1 |
Scottish | 8 |
Welsh | 3 |
Footnotes and references
- ^ "PLAYER OF THE YEAR". canaries.co.uk. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ Eastwood, John (1986). Canary Citizens. Almeida Books. p. 107. ISBN 0711720207.
As a mark of permanent respect...
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ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Roll up for the end of the year show". The Pink 'Un. 5 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
Top honour, of course, was the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy for player of the year.
- ^ "FLEMING HONOURED TO WIN AWARD". canaries.co.uk. 7 November 2004. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ a b "HUCKS ON A HAT-TRICK". canaries.co.uk. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ "Player of the Season - The Barry Butler Memorial Trophy". On The Ball, City. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
- ^ "Dave Stringer's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2007-10-15.
- ^ "Joe Royle's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2007-10-15.
- ^ a b "Race is on for Barry Butler trophy". The Pink 'Un. 16 March 2006. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ "Canary stats - Norwich City Hall of Fame". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
- ^ For ease of reading, the complexities of the frequent renaming of the various divisions have been simplified to a number, reflecting the official "Level" of competition in the English league system. For more information see English football league system#Structure.
- ^ "Player of the Season 1967-2007". canaries.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
- ^ For a full description of positions see Football Positions.
- ^ If blank, uncapped at full international level.
- ^
"Tearful Dublin in Carrow farewell". BBC Online. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
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ignored (help) - ^ Also played some games as a striker.
- ^ Played some games in defence.
- ^ Still technically with the club, although in a non-playing capacity.
- ^ Keelan was born in India, of English parents.
- ^ "Dave Stringer's managerial career". soccerbase.com. Retrieved 2007-10-15.
- ^ By this point in his career, the former forward was playing at "half-back".
- ^ Doherty has been classed as a defender, Sutton as a striker, Allcock as a defender.
- ^ Multiple winners are counted multiple times.
- ^ Includes strikers and wingers.
- ^ Multiple winners are counted multiple times.