PFA Fans' Player of the Year

The Professional Footballers' Association Fans' Player of the Year (often called the PFA Fans' Player of the Year, or simply the Fans' Player of the Year) award is given to footballers in the top four flights of English football, the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two.[1]

The shortlist is compiled by the members of the Professional Footballers' Association (the PFA), and then the winner is voted for by the fans of the league.

The award was first given in 2001, and was won by Steven Gerrard, Chris Bart-Williams, Brian Tinnion and Bobby Zamora, of Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively. Mohamed Salah is the record holder for winning the award 3 times. Cole Palmer is the current Premier League award winner.

List of winners

Highlighted players won the award for a second or third time.

2001

League Player Club Notes
FA Premiership Steven Gerrard Liverpool First winner of the award in the FA Premiership
Winning the award in addition to the Young Player of the Year award[2]
First Division Chris Bart-Williams Nottingham Forest First winner of the award in the First Division[2]
Second Division Brian Tinnion Bristol City First winner of the award in the Second Division[2]
Third Division Bobby Zamora Brighton & Hove Albion First winner of the award in the Third Division[2]

2002

League Player Club Notes
FA Premiership Ruud van Nistelrooy Manchester United First winner of the award from outside of England
First winner of the award from outside of Great Britain
First winner of the award from outside of the United Kingdom
First winner of the award from outside of the British Isles
Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award[3]
First Division Dean Sturridge Wolverhampton Wanderers [3]
Second Division Bobby Zamora Brighton & Hove Albion First two-time winner of the award
First two-time winner of the award in two different leagues[3]
Third Division Matthew Taylor Luton Town [3]

2003

League Player Club Notes
FA Premiership Thierry Henry Arsenal Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award[2]
First Division Linvoy Primus Portsmouth [2]
Second Division Robert Earnshaw Cardiff City [4]
Third Division Leon Britton Swansea City [4]

2004

League Player Club Notes
FA Premiership Thierry Henry (2) Arsenal First winner of the award in two consecutive seasons
First player to win three awards in two consecutive seasons
Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the Premier League Player of the Season award
[5]
First Division Darren Huckerby Norwich City [5]
Second Division Neil Moss Bournemouth [5]
Third Division Lee Harper Northampton Town [5]

2005

League Player Club Notes
FA Premier League Frank Lampard Chelsea Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the Premier League Player of the Season award[6]
Championship Paul McKenna Preston North End [6]
League One Keith Southern Blackpool [6]
League Two Adam Barrett Southend United [6]

2006

League Player Club Notes
FA Premier League Wayne Rooney Manchester United Winning the award in addition to the Young Player of the Year award[2]
Championship Kevin Doyle Reading [7]
League One Darryl Flahavan Southend United [2]
League Two Karl Hawley Carlisle United [2]

2007

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United First player to win all five main awards in the same year
First player to win all three PFA awards in the same year
Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the Young Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the Premier League Player of the Season award
Championship Matthew Murray Wolverhampton Wanderers [8]
League One Billy Sharp Scunthorpe United [8]
League Two Lee Peacock Swindon Town [8]

2008

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Cristiano Ronaldo (2) Manchester United First player to win four awards in two consecutive seasons
Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the Premier League Player of the Season award
Championship James Beattie Sheffield United
League One Jay Simpson Millwall (on loan from Arsenal) 'First winner of award whilst on loan at another club[9]
League Two Jack Lester Chesterfield

2009

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Steven Gerrard (2) Liverpool Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award[10]
Championship Marcus Tudgay Sheffield Wednesday [10]
League One Jermaine Beckford Leeds United [11]
League Two Jordan Rhodes Brentford (On loan from Ipswich Town) [12]

2010

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Wayne Rooney (2) Manchester United Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the Premier League Player of the Season award[13]
Championship Graham Dorrans West Bromwich Albion [13]
League One Rickie Lambert Southampton [13]
League Two Kasper Schmeichel Notts County [13]

2011

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Raul Meireles Liverpool [14]
Championship Danny Graham Watford [15]
League One Peter Clarke Huddersfield Town [15]
League Two Cody McDonald Gillingham [15]

2012

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Robin van Persie Arsenal Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award[16]
Championship Jay Rodriguez Burnley [17]
League One José Semedo Sheffield Wednesday [17]
League Two Lewis Grabban Rotherham United [17]

2013

  • Not awarded

2014

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Luis Suárez Liverpool Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the Premier League Player of the Season award
[18]
Championship Danny Ings Burnley [19]
League One Harry Maguire Sheffield United [20]
League Two Tommy Lee Chesterfield [21]

2015

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Alexis Sánchez Arsenal [22]
Championship Harry Arter Bournemouth [23][24]
League One Joe Garner Preston North End [25]
League Two Matt Tubbs Portsmouth [26]

2016

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Riyad Mahrez Leicester City Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award[27]
Championship Daniel Ayala Middlesbrough [27]
League One Will Grigg Wigan Athletic [27]
League Two Graham Carey Plymouth Argyle [27]

2017

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Harry Kane Tottenham Hotspur [28]
Championship Dwight Gayle Newcastle United [29]
League One David Wheater Bolton Wanderers [30]
League Two Enda Stevens Portsmouth [31]

2018

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Mohamed Salah[32] Liverpool Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FSA Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the Premier League Player of the Season award

Championship Ryan Sessegnon Fulham [33]
League One Bradley Dack Blackburn Rovers [34]
League Two Marc McNulty Coventry City [35]

2019

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Eden Hazard Chelsea [36]
Championship Teemu Pukki Norwich City [37]
League One Lyle Taylor Charlton Athletic [38]
League Two Michael Bostwick Lincoln City [39][40]

2020

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Sadio Mané Liverpool [41]
Championship Luke Ayling Leeds United [42]
League One Joe Jacobson Wycombe Wanderers [43]
League Two Alex Palmer Plymouth Argyle [44]

2021

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Mohamed Salah (2) Liverpool Winning the award in addition to the FSA Player of the Year award[45]
Championship Adam Armstrong Blackburn Rovers [46]
League One Jerry Yates Blackpool [47]
League Two Tom Conlon Port Vale [48]

2022

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Mohamed Salah (3) Liverpool Winning the award in addition to the Players' Player of the Year award
Winning the award in addition to the FWA Footballer of the Year award
[49]
Championship Aleksandar Mitrović Fulham [50]
League One Ross Stewart Sunderland [51]
League Two Jamille Matt Forest Green Rovers [52]

2023

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Marcus Rashford Manchester United [53]
Championship Amad Diallo Sunderland [54]
League One David McGoldrick Derby County [55]
League Two Elliot Watt Salford City [56]

2024

League Player Club Notes
Premier League Cole Palmer Chelsea [57]
Championship Sam Morsy Ipswich Town [58]
League One Nathaniel Mendez-Laing Derby County [59]
League Two Paul Mullin Wrexham [60]

Breakdown of winners

Winners by club

  • Information correct up to and including 2024.
Club Premier League Championship/First Division League One/Second Division League Two/Third Division
Liverpool 8 (2001, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022) 0 0 0
Manchester United 7 (2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2023) 0 0 0
Arsenal 4 (2003, 2004, 2012, 2015) 0 0 0
Chelsea 3 (2005, 2019, 2024) 0 0 0
Leicester City 1 (2016) 0 0 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (2017) 0 0 0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 2 (2002, 2007) 0 0
Norwich City 0 2 (2004, 2019) 0 0
Burnley 0 2 (2012, 2014) 0 0
Fulham 0 2 (2018, 2022) 0 0
Preston North End 0 1 (2005) 1 (2015) 0
Sheffield United 0 1 (2008) 1 (2014) 0
Sheffield Wednesday 0 1 (2009) 1 (2012) 0
Bournemouth 0 1 (2015) 1 (2004) 0
Leeds United 0 1 (2020) 1 (2009) 0
Blackburn Rovers 0 1 (2021) 1 (2018) 0
Sunderland 0 1 (2023) 1 (2022) 0
Portsmouth 0 1 (2003) 0 2 (2015, 2017)
Nottingham Forest 0 1 (2001) 0 0
Reading 0 1 (2006) 0 0
West Bromwich Albion 0 1 (2010) 0 0
Watford 0 1 (2011) 0 0
Middlesbrough 0 1 (2016) 0 0
Newcastle United 0 1 (2017) 0 0
Ipswich Town 0 1 (2024) 0 0
Blackpool 0 0 2 (2005, 2021) 0
Brighton & Hove Albion 0 0 1 (2002) 1 (2001)
Southend United 0 0 1 (2006) 1 (2005)
Bristol City 0 0 1 (2001) 0
Cardiff City 0 0 1 (2003) 0
Scunthorpe United 0 0 1 (2007) 0
Millwall 0 0 1 (2008) 0
Southampton 0 0 1 (2010) 0
Huddersfield Town 0 0 1 (2011) 0
Wigan Athletic 0 0 1 (2016) 0
Bolton Wanderers 0 0 1 (2017) 0
Charlton Athletic 0 0 1 (2019) 0
Wycombe Wanderers 0 0 1 (2020) 0
Derby County 0 0 2 (2023, 2024) 0
Chesterfield 0 0 0 2 (2008, 2014)
Plymouth Argyle 0 0 0 2 (2016, 2020)
Luton Town 0 0 0 1 (2002)
Swansea City 0 0 0 1 (2003)
Northampton Town 0 0 0 1 (2004)
Carlisle United 0 0 0 1 (2006)
Swindon Town 0 0 0 1 (2007)
Brentford 0 0 0 1 (2009)
Notts County 0 0 0 1 (2010)
Gillingham 0 0 0 1 (2011)
Rotherham United 0 0 0 1 (2012)
Coventry City 0 0 0 1 (2018)
Lincoln City 0 0 0 1 (2019)
Port Vale 0 0 0 1 (2021)
Forest Green Rovers 0 0 0 1 (2022)
Salford City 0 0 0 1 (2023)
Wrexham 0 0 0 1 (2024)
Total 22 22 22 22

Winners by country

  • Information correct up to and including 2023.
Country Premier League Championship/First Division League One/Second Division League Two/Third Division
England 8 (2001, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2023, 2024) 15 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021) 15 (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021) 15 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024)
 Portugal 3 (2007, 2008, 2011) 0 1 (2012) 0
 Egypt 3 (2018, 2021, 2022) 1 (2024) 0 0
 France 2 (2003, 2004) 0 0 0
 Netherlands 2 (2002, 2012) 0 0 0
 Uruguay 1 (2014) 0 0 0
 Chile 1 (2015) 0 0 0
 Algeria 1 (2016) 0 0 0
 Belgium 1 (2019) 0 0 0
 Senegal 1 (2020) 0 0 0
 Republic of Ireland 0 2 (2006, 2015) 1 (2023) 2 (2016, 2017)
 Scotland 0 1 (2010) 1 (2022) 4 (2007, 2009, 2018, 2023)
 Spain 0 1 (2016) 0 0
 Finland 0 1 (2019) 0 0
 Serbia 0 1 (2022) 0 0
 Ivory Coast 0 1 (2023) 0 0
 Wales 0 0 2 (2003, 2020) 0
 Northern Ireland 0 0 1 (2016) 0
 Montserrat 0 0 1 (2019) 0
 Guatemala 0 0 1 (2024) 0
 Denmark 0 0 0 1 (2010)
 Jamaica 0 0 0 1 (2022)
Total 23 23 23 23

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