Southampton F.C. Player of the Season

Southampton Football Club is an English association football club based in Southampton, Hampshire. Founded in 1885 as St Mary's YMA,[1] they became a professional club in 1891,[2] and co-founded the Southern League in 1894.[3][4] Southampton won the Southern League championship six times between 1896 and 1904,[5][4][6] and were later elected to the Football League in 1920 as co-founders of the Third Division.[7][6] The Saints finished as runners-up in their first season,[8] and the following year received promotion to the Second Division as Third Division South champions.[9][6] The club first entered the First Division in 1966,[10] and currently play in its modern-day counterpart, the Premier League.[6] Southampton won the FA Cup in 1976,[11] reached the final of the League Cup in 1979 and 2017,[12][13] and won the League Trophy in 2010.[6][14]

Flynn Downes is the most recent winner of the Southern Daily Echo Player of the Season award.

The Southampton Player of the Season award is voted for annually by the club's supporters, who send their choice of player to the Southern Daily Echo, a local newspaper.[15] Since its inception in 1973, 42 different players have won the award.[16][17][18] Six of these players have received the accolade for a second time, and to date only Matt Le Tissier has won the award for a third time.[17][18] Four players have won in consecutive seasons, 32 winners have represented their country at international level, and one winner (Alan Ball) has gone on to become the club's manager.[16] The most recent winner of the award, for the 2022–23 season, is midfielder Roméo Lavia.[19]

In recent years, the club has also presented its own Player of the Season award, alongside other end-of-season accolades. However, no awards were presented by the club for the men's 2022-23 season as the side was relegated from the Premier League. [20] The most recent winner of the club-run Fans' Player of the Season award is Ward-Prowse, who was also named Players' Player of the Season and he also won Goal of the Season for his sensational long-range free-kick at Wolves.[20] Tino Livramento received the President's Choice Award, while Dominic Ballard won Scholar of the Year.[20] For Southampton Women, awards were given out after their 2022-23 campaign.[21] Kayla Rendell was named Fans' Player of the Season, Laura Rafferty was awarded Goal of the Season for a looping strike against Lewes that won the Saints their first ever point in the Barclays Women’s Championship.[21]

Table key

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Winners

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As of 27 May 2024
 
1978 winner Alan Ball is the only player to have won the award and gone on to manage the club (from 1994 to 1995).
 
Kevin Keegan won the award in 1981–82, the same year he won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award.
 
Peter Shilton was the first goalkeeper to win the award, the first player to win it twice, and the first player to win it in two consecutive seasons.
 
To date, Matt Le Tissier is the only player to receive the accolade on three occasions (in 1990, 1994 and 1995).

Southern Daily Echo award

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Season Level[A] Player Position[B] Nationality Apps Goals Caps Notes
1973–74 Div 1 Mick Channon Forward   England 607 228 46 [C]
1974–75 Div 2¤ Mel Blyth Defender   England 136 7 0
1975–76 Div 2 David Peach Defender   England 282 44 0 [D]
1976–77 Div 2 Steve Williams Midfielder   England 349 27 6
1977–78 Div 2 Alan Ball Midfielder   England 234 13 72 [E]
1978–79 Div 1¤ Malcolm Waldron Defender   England 218 11 0 [F]
1979–80 Div 1 Phil Boyer Forward   England 162 61 1
1980–81 Div 1 Ivan Golac Defender   Yugoslavia 197 4 1 [G]
1981–82 Div 1 Kevin Keegan Forward   England 80 42 63
1982–83 Div 1 Mark Wright Defender   England 222 11 45
1983–84 Div 1 David Armstrong Midfielder   England 272 71 3
1984–85 Div 1 Peter Shilton Goalkeeper   England 242 0 125
1985–86 Div 1 Peter Shilton (2) Goalkeeper   England 242 0 125 [H][I]
1986–87 Div 1 Glenn Cockerill Midfielder   England 358 39 0
1987–88 Div 1 Derek Statham Defender   England 78 4 3
1988–89 Div 1 Jimmy Case Midfielder   England 272 14 0 [J]
1989–90 Div 1 Matt Le Tissier Midfielder   England 540 210 8
1990–91 Div 1 Alan Shearer Forward   England 158 43 63
1991–92 Div 1 Tim Flowers Goalkeeper   England 251 0 11
1992–93 Div 1 Tim Flowers (2) Goalkeeper   England 251 0 11 [I]
1993–94 Div 1 Matt Le Tissier (2) Midfielder   England 540 210 8 [I]
1994–95 Div 1 Matt Le Tissier (3) Midfielder   England 540 210 8 [K]
1995–96 Div 1 Dave Beasant Goalkeeper   England 105 0 2
1996–97 Div 1 Egil Østenstad Forward   Norway 109 33 18
1997–98 Div 1 Paul Jones Goalkeeper   Wales 223 0 50
1998–99 Div 1 James Beattie Forward   England 235 76 5
1999–2000 Div 1 Dean Richards Defender   England 79 7 0 [L]
2000–01 Div 1 Wayne Bridge Defender   England 174 2 36
2001–02 Div 1 Chris Marsden Midfielder   England 152 8 0
2002–03 Div 1 James Beattie (2) Forward   England 235 76 5 [I]
2003–04 Div 1 Antti Niemi Goalkeeper   Finland 123 0 67
2004–05 Div 1 Peter Crouch Forward   England 33 16 42
2005–06 Div 2¤ Claus Lundekvam Defender   Norway 413 2 40
2006–07 Div 2 Chris Baird Defender   Northern Ireland 79 3 79
2007–08 Div 2 Andrew Davies Defender   England 25 0 0 [M]
2008–09 Div 2 Kelvin Davis Goalkeeper   England 301 0 0
2009–10 Div 3¤ Rickie Lambert Forward   England 235 117 11
2010–11 Div 3 José Fonte Defender   Portugal 288 15 50
2011–12 Div 2¤ Rickie Lambert (2) Forward   England 235 117 11 [I]
2012–13 Div 1¤ Morgan Schneiderlin Midfielder   France 261 15 15
2013–14 Div 1 Adam Lallana Midfielder   England 265 60 34
2014–15 Div 1 José Fonte (2) Defender   Portugal 288 15 50 [I]
2015–16 Div 1 Shane Long Forward   Republic of Ireland 245 36 88
2016–17 Div 1 Oriol Romeu Midfielder   Spain 256 9 0 [N]
2017–18 Div 1 Alex McCarthy* Goalkeeper   England 147 0 1
2018–19 Div 1 Nathan Redmond Midfielder   England 232 30 1
2019–20 Div 1 Danny Ings Forward   England 100 46 3
2020–21 Div 1 James Ward-Prowse Midfielder   England 410 55 11
2021–22 Div 1 James Ward-Prowse (2) Midfielder   England 410 55 11 [I]
2022–23 Div 1 Roméo Lavia Midfielder   Belgium 34 1 1
2023–24 Div 2¤ Flynn Downes* Midfielder   England 36 2 0 [O]

Southampton F.C. award

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Season Level[A] Player Position[B] Nationality Apps Goals Caps Notes
2012–13 Div 1¤ Morgan Schneiderlin Midfielder   France 261 15 15
2013–14 Div 1 Adam Lallana Midfielder   England 265 60 34
2014–15 Div 1 José Fonte Defender   Portugal 288 15 50
2015–16 Div 1 Virgil van Dijk Defender   Netherlands 80 7 56
2016–17 Div 1 Oriol Romeu Midfielder   Spain 256 9 0 [N]
2017–18 Div 1 Alex McCarthy* Goalkeeper   England 147 0 1
2018–19 Div 1 Nathan Redmond Midfielder   England 232 30 1
2019–20 Div 1 Danny Ings Forward   England 100 46 3
2020–21 Div 1 James Ward-Prowse Midfielder   England 410 55 11
2021–22 Div 1 James Ward-Prowse (2) Midfielder   England 410 55 11
2022–23 Div 1 Not awarded
2023–24 Div 2¤ Adam Armstrong* Forward   England 119 29 0 [P]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b The official level of competition in the structure of the English football league system.
  2. ^ a b For a detailed description of playing positions, see association football positions.
  3. ^ The inaugural winner of the award.
  4. ^ Received eight caps for the England under-21 team.
  5. ^ Went on to manage the club between 1994 and 1995.
  6. ^ Received one cap for the England B team.
  7. ^ The first non-English and non-British winner of the award.
  8. ^ The first player to win the award twice, and in consecutive seasons.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Won the award on two occasions.
  10. ^ Received one cap for the England under-23 team.
  11. ^ The first player to win the award three times.
  12. ^ Received four caps for the England under-21 team.
  13. ^ Received one cap for the England under-21 team.
  14. ^ a b Received five caps for the Spain under-23 team.
  15. ^ Received six caps for the England under-20 team.
  16. ^ Received five caps for the England under-21 team.

References

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  1. ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 9
  2. ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 13
  3. ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 16
  4. ^ a b "Southampton St Mary's". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  5. ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, pp. 21–35
  6. ^ a b c d e "Southampton". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  7. ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 64
  8. ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 5
  9. ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 67
  10. ^ Chalk & Holley 2003, p. 86
  11. ^ Chalk & Holley 2003, pp. 361–363
  12. ^ Chalk & Holley 2003, pp. 286–287
  13. ^ "Manchester United 3–2 Southampton". BBC Sport. 26 February 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  14. ^ Shemilt, Stephan (28 March 2010). "Carlisle 1 - 4 Southampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  15. ^ Leitch, Adam (12 May 2016). "Last chance to vote for your Southampton FC Player of the Season Award 2015/16". Southern Daily Echo. Newsquest. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  16. ^ a b Kerins, Dan (12 May 2016). "Previous winners of the Daily Echo Southampton FC Player of the Season Award". Southern Daily Echo. Newsquest. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  17. ^ a b Illingsworth 2007, p. 71
  18. ^ a b Kelly, Christian (11 May 2002). "Player of the Year - Southampton FC". Saints Mad. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  19. ^ Nurick, Benjy (27 May 2023). "Romeo Lavia caps impressive maiden campaign with Daily Echo award". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  20. ^ a b c "Player Awards: The winners". Southampton F.C. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  21. ^ a b "Women's Fans' awards announced | Southampton FC | News". www.southamptonfc.com. Retrieved 27 August 2023.

Bibliography

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  • Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan (1987), Saints: A Complete Record of Southampton Football Club 1885–1987, Breedon Books, ISBN 0-907969-22-4
  • Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan (2003), In That Number: A Post-War Chronicle of Southampton FC, Hagiology Publishing, ISBN 0-953447-43-X
  • Illingsworth, Nick (2007), Saints Preserved: An A-Z of Southampton Football Club, Elephant Books, ISBN 978-0-9552642-1-4
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