SFWA Young Player of the Year
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Football Writers' Association Young Player of the Year (often called the SFWA Young Player of the Year, or simply the Scottish Young Player of the Year) award is given to the footballer in the top-flight of Scottish football
, the Scottish Premier League
, whom is seen to have been the best young (under 23) player of the previous season.
The shortlist is compiled by the members of the Scottish Football Writers' Association
(the SFWA), who also vote for the winner. The prize is seen as the highest awarded to a young player as it names the "Young Player of the Year"; the footballer who is seen to have been the best young player over the previous season. The award was first made in 2002, and was won by Motherwell
forward James McFadden
.
Football in Scotland
Association football is the national sport in Scotland and highly popular throughout the country. There is a long tradition of "football" games in Orkney, Lewis and southern Scotland, especially the Scottish Borders, although many of these include carrying the ball and passing by hand, and despite...
, the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
, whom is seen to have been the best young (under 23) player of the previous season.
The shortlist is compiled by the members of the Scottish Football Writers' Association
Scottish Football Writers' Association
The Scottish Football Writers' Association is an association of Scottish football journalists and correspondents writing for newspapers and agencies, founded in 1965...
(the SFWA), who also vote for the winner. The prize is seen as the highest awarded to a young player as it names the "Young Player of the Year"; the footballer who is seen to have been the best young player over the previous season. The award was first made in 2002, and was won by Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
forward James McFadden
James McFadden
James McFadden is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Everton.McFadden started his career with Scottish Premier League club Motherwell. He came to prominence in the 2002–03 season by scoring 19 goals and winning the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year award....
.
List of winners
| Season | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 |  David GoodwillieDavid Goodwillie David Goodwillie is a Scottish footballer who plays as a striker for Blackburn Rovers and the Scotland national football team.-Early career:... |
Dundee United Dundee United F.C. Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923... |
| 2009–10 | Danny Wilson Danny Wilson (Scottish footballer) Daniel "Danny" Wilson is a Scottish footballer who currently plays as a centre back or left back for Premier League club Liverpool and the Scottish national side.-Rangers:... |
Rangers Rangers F.C. Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses... |
| 2008–09 | Steven Fletcher Steven Fletcher (footballer) Steven Kenneth Fletcher is a Scottish international footballer who plays as a striker. He is currently signed to English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.... |
Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
| 2007–08 | Steven Fletcher Steven Fletcher (footballer) Steven Kenneth Fletcher is a Scottish international footballer who plays as a striker. He is currently signed to English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.... |
Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
| 2006–07 | Scott Brown |
Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
| 2005–06 | Steven Naismith Steven Naismith Steven John Naismith is a Scottish association footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League club Rangers and the Scotland national team.Naismith began his career with Kilmarnock in 2004... |
Kilmarnock Kilmarnock F.C. Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park... |
| 2004–05 | Derek Riordan Derek Riordan Derek George Riordan is a Scottish footballer who plays as a forward. He has been capped three times by the Scotland national football team. Riordan started his career with Hibernian in 2001 and had a brief spell on loan with Cowdenbeath in 2003... |
Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
| 2003–04 | Craig Gordon Craig Gordon Craig Sinclair Gordon is a Scottish footballer, currently playing as a goalkeeper for both Sunderland and the Scotland national team. He was a nominee for STV's Scotland's Greatest Ever Football Team in 2010.... |
Heart of Midlothian Heart of Midlothian F.C. Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian... |
| 2002–03 |  Zurab KhizanishviliZurab Khizanishvili Zurab Khizanishvili is a Georgian footballer who plays for Turkish club Kayserispor as a defender.-Early career:Khizanishvili started his career at Dinamo Tbilisi where he remained for just one season, before joining FC Tbilisi to improve his chances of playing regular first team football.In 1999... |
Dundee Dundee F.C. Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from... |
| 2001–02 | James McFadden James McFadden James McFadden is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Everton.McFadden started his career with Scottish Premier League club Motherwell. He came to prominence in the 2002–03 season by scoring 19 goals and winning the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year award.... |
Motherwell Motherwell F.C. Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998... |
Winners by club
| Club | Number of wins | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
4 | 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09 |
| Dundee United Dundee United F.C. Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923... |
1 | 2010–11 |
| Rangers Rangers F.C. Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses... |
1 | 2009–10 |
| Kilmarnock Kilmarnock F.C. Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park... |
1 | 2005–06 |
| Heart of Midlothian Heart of Midlothian F.C. Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian... |
1 | 2003–04 |
| Dundee Dundee F.C. Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from... |
1 | 2002–03 |
| Motherwell Motherwell F.C. Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998... |
1 | 2001–02 |
Winners by country
| Country | Number of wins | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland Scotland national football team The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872... |
9 | 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11 |
| 1 | 2002–03 |
Trivia
- In 2003, Zurab KhizanishviliZurab KhizanishviliZurab Khizanishvili is a Georgian footballer who plays for Turkish club Kayserispor as a defender.-Early career:Khizanishvili started his career at Dinamo Tbilisi where he remained for just one season, before joining FC Tbilisi to improve his chances of playing regular first team football.In 1999...
became the first - and so far only - player from outside of ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Great BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to win the award. - Steven FletcherSteven Fletcher (footballer)Steven Kenneth Fletcher is a Scottish international footballer who plays as a striker. He is currently signed to English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
became the first player to win the award for a second time and to retain the award in 2009.
See also
- SPFA Young Player of the Year
- PFA Young Player of the YearPFA Young Player of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
- PFAI Young Player of the YearPFAI Young Player of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Players' Young Player of the Year award is given to the footballer in the top-flight of Irish football, the League of Ireland, whom is seen to have been the best player of the previous...