PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year

PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year
Kieran Tierney won the award three times in consecutive seasons
Awarded forThe outstanding young player in each given Scottish football season
CountryScotland
Presented byPFA Scotland
First awarded1978
Last awarded2024
Young Player of the YearDavid Watson
Most awardsKieran Tierney (3)

The PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year, formerly known as the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year, is named at the end of every Scottish football season. The members of the Professional Footballers' Association Scotland vote on which of its young members played the best football in the previous year. The award was first given in 1978, to Graeme Payne. The Bulgarian international Stiliyan Petrov was the first non-Scottish player to win the award, when he did so in 2001.

List of winners

The first foreign winner of the award was Stiliyan Petrov, in 2001
Dundee United left-back Andy Robertson won the award in 2014

As of 2024, the award has been presented 46 times and won by 41 different players. Kieran Tierney (3), Craig Levein (2), Eoin Jess (2) and Phil O'Donnell (2) are the players who have won the award more than once.

Season Nat Player Club Notes Ref
1977–78 Scotland Graeme Payne Dundee United
1978–79 Scotland Ray Stewart Dundee United
1979–80 Scotland John MacDonald Rangers
1980–81 Scotland Charlie Nicholas Celtic [1]
1981–82 Scotland Frank McAvennie St Mirren [2]
1982–83 Scotland Paul McStay Celtic [3]
1983–84 Scotland John Robertson Heart of Midlothian
1984–85 Scotland Craig Levein Heart of Midlothian
1985–86 Scotland Craig Levein Heart of Midlothian
1986–87 Scotland Robert Fleck Rangers
1987–88 Scotland John Collins Hibernian
1988–89 Scotland Billy McKinlay Dundee United
1989–90 Scotland Scott Crabbe Heart of Midlothian
1990–91 Scotland Eoin Jess Aberdeen
1991–92 Scotland Phil O'Donnell Motherwell
1992–93 Scotland Eoin Jess Aberdeen
1993–94 Scotland Phil O'Donnell Motherwell
1994–95 Scotland Charlie Miller Rangers
1995–96 Scotland Jackie McNamara Celtic
1996–97 Scotland Robbie Winters Dundee United
1997–98 Scotland Gary Naysmith Heart of Midlothian
1998–99 Scotland Barry Ferguson Rangers
1999–00 Scotland Kenny Miller Hibernian
2000–01 Bulgaria Stiliyan Petrov Celtic [4]
2001–02 Scotland Kevin McNaughton Aberdeen [5]
2002–03 Scotland James McFadden Motherwell [6]
2003–04 Scotland Stephen Pearson Celtic [7]
2004–05 Scotland Derek Riordan Hibernian Also won the SFWA award. [8]
2005–06 Scotland Shaun Maloney Celtic [9]
2006–07 Scotland Steven Naismith Kilmarnock [10]
2007–08 Republic of Ireland Aiden McGeady Celtic [11]
2008–09 Republic of Ireland James McCarthy Hamilton Academical [11]
2009–10 Scotland Danny Wilson Rangers Also won the SFWA award. [12]
2010–11 Scotland David Goodwillie Dundee United Also won the SFWA award. [13]
2011–12 Scotland James Forrest Celtic Also won the SFWA award. [14]
2012–13 Scotland Leigh Griffiths Hibernian Also won the SFWA Footballer of the Year award. [15]
2013–14 Scotland Andrew Robertson Dundee United [16]
2014–15 Belgium Jason Denayer Celtic [17]
2015–16 Scotland Kieran Tierney Celtic Also won the SFWA award. [18]
2016–17 Scotland Kieran Tierney Celtic Also won the SFWA award. [19]
2017–18 Scotland Kieran Tierney Celtic Also won the SFWA award. [20]
2018–19 England Ryan Kent Rangers [21]
2019–20 — — — Due to the covid-19 pandemic, PFA Scotland cancelled their awards for the 2019–20 season. [22]
2020–21 Scotland David Turnbull Celtic [23][24]
2021–22 Israel Liel Abada Celtic [25]
2022–23 United States Malik Tillman Rangers [26]
2023–24 Scotland David Watson Kilmarnock Also won the SFWA award. [27]

Breakdown of winners

Winners by club

Club Number of wins Winning seasons
Celtic 14 1980–81, 1982–83, 1995–96, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21, 2021–22
Rangers 7 1979–80, 1980–87, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2009–10, 2018–19, 2022–23
Dundee United 6 1977–78, 1978–79, 1988–89, 1996–97, 2010–11, 2013–14
Heart of Midlothian 5 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1997–98
Hibernian 4 1987–88, 1999–00, 2004–05, 2012–13
Aberdeen 3 1990–91, 1992–93, 2001–02
Motherwell 3 1991–92, 1993–94, 2002–03
Kilmarnock 2 2006–07, 2023–24
Hamilton Academical 1 2008–09
St Mirren 1 1981–82

Winners by country

Country Number of wins Winning seasons
Scotland 39 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21, 2023–24
Republic of Ireland 2 2007–08, 2008–09
Belgium 1 2014–15
Bulgaria 1 2000–01
England 1 2018–19
Israel 1 2021–22
United States 1 2022–23

See also

References

  1. ^ White, John (2006). The Celtic Football Miscellany. Carlton Books. p. 66. ISBN 1844421627.
  2. ^ "Macca's soft spot". Daily Record. 3 January 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Paul McStay". Scottish Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  4. ^ "Petrov in double awards chase". BBC Sport. 16 April 2002. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Season review 2001/02". Scottish Premier League. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  6. ^ "Season review 2002/03". Scottish Premier League. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  7. ^ "Sutton and Pearson earn Celtic award double". ABC News. 26 April 2004. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  8. ^ Haggerty, Anthony (18 February 2009). "Hibs ace Derek Riordan eyes Scotland return". Daily Record. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  9. ^ Shaun Maloney at the Scottish Football Association
  10. ^ "Naismith nets young player prize". BBC Sport. BBC. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  11. ^ a b "Ireland's James McCarthy is Scotland's "Young Player of the Year"". Football Association of Ireland. 5 May 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  12. ^ "Davis crowned player of the year". BBC Sport. BBC. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  13. ^ "David Goodwillie named Scotland's top young player". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  14. ^ "Celtic duo Charlie Mulgrew & James Forrest scoop PFA player of the year awards". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  15. ^ "Motherwell: Michael Higdon named player of the year". BBC Sport. BBC. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  16. ^ "Andrew Robertson: Dundee United defender wins PFA prize". BBC Sport. BBC. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  17. ^ "Celtic's Stefan Johansen named Scottish PFA player of the year". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  18. ^ "Leigh Griffiths: Celtic forward named PFA Scotland Player of the Year". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 May 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  19. ^ "Scott Sinclair named SPFA player of the year as Celtic win four awards". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  20. ^ "Kris Boyd, John McGinn & Celtic's Scott Brown & James Forrest up for PFA award". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  21. ^ "James Forrest, Steve Clarke & Ryan Kent win PFA Scotland annual awards". BBC Sport. BBC. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  22. ^ McKay, Gabriel (19 May 2020). "Celtic and Rangers stars in line for end of season gongs as SFWA awards go ahead as planned". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  23. ^ Lindsay, Clive (12 May 2021). "Ali McCann: Celtic aware of 'impressive' St Johnstone midfielder - Kennedy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  24. ^ "Rangers: Steven Gerrard and James Tavernier win PFA Scotland awards". BBC Sport. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  25. ^ "Celtic take five prizes at PFA Scotland awards, including manager of the year". BBC Sport. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  26. ^ "Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi and Caitlin Hayes win PFA Scotland player of the year awards". BBC Sport. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  27. ^ "Lawrence Shankland, David Watson & Rangers trio win PFA awards". BBC Sport. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.