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]

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, 44 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 2024–25 season, is midfielder Mateus Fernandes.[19]

In recent years, the club has also presented its own Player of the Season award, alongside other end-of-season accolades. The most recent winner of the club-run Fans' Player of the Season award is Mateus Fernandes.[20]

Table key

Winners

As of 22 May 2025

Southern Daily Echo award

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 283 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 155 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 66 3 0 [O]
2024–25 Div 1¤ Mateus Fernandes* Midfielder  Portugal 42 3 0 [P]

Southampton F.C. award

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 283 60 34† —
2014–15 Div 1 José Fonte Defender  Portugal 288 15 50† —
2015–16 Div 1 Virgil van Dijk Defender  Netherlands 80 7 80† —
2016–17 Div 1 Oriol Romeu Midfielder  Spain 256 9 0 [N]
2017–18 Div 1 Alex McCarthy* Goalkeeper  England 155 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 142 32 0 [Q]
2024–25 Div 1¤ Mateus Fernandes* Midfielder  Portugal 42 3 0 [P]

Footnotes

  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. ^ a b Received nine caps for the Portugal under-21 team.
  17. ^ Received five caps for the England under-21 team.

References

  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. ^ Rees-Julian, George (22 May 2025). "Southampton's Mateus Fernandes wins Daily Echo Player of the Year". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Fernandes wins Fans' Player of the Season award". Southampton FC. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.

Bibliography

  • 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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