# PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year

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

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

## 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 |