# 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, they became a professional club in 1891, and co-founded the Southern League in 1894. Southampton won the Southern League championship six times between 1896 and 1904, and were later elected to the Football League in 1920 as co-founders of the Third Division. The Saints finished as runners-up in their first season, and the following year received promotion to the Second Division as Third Division South champions. The club first entered the First Division in 1966, and currently play in its modern-day counterpart, the Premier League. Southampton won the FA Cup in 1976, reached the final of the League Cup in 1979 and 2017, and won the League Trophy in 2010.
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. Since its inception in 1973, 42 different players have won the award. 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. 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. The most recent winner of the award, for the 2022–23 season, is midfielder Roméo Lavia.
In recent years, the club has also presented its own Player of the Season award, alongside other end-of-season accolades. However, no awards were presented by the club for the men's 2022-23 season as the side was relegated from the Premier League. The most recent winner of the club-run Fans' Player of the Season award is Ward-Prowse, who was also named Players' Player of the Season and he also won Goal of the Season for his sensational long-range free-kick at Wolves. Tino Livramento received the President's Choice Award, while Dominic Ballard won Scholar of the Year. For Southampton Women, awards were given out after their 2022-23 campaign. Kayla Rendell was named Fans' Player of the Season, Laura Rafferty was awarded Goal of the Season for a looping strike against Lewes that won the Saints their first ever point in the Barclays Women’s Championship.

## Table key

| $^¤$ | Denotes divisional change due to promotion or relegation |
| * | Denotes player who is currently playing for the club |
| $^†$ | Denotes player who has won full international caps |
| Div 1 | First Division (1973–1992), Premier League (1992–) |
| Div 2 | Second Division (1973–1992), First Division (1992–2004), Championship (2004–) |
| Div 3 | Third Division (1973–1992), Second Division (1992–2004), League One (2004–) |

## Winners

    As of 27 May 2024

### Southern Daily Echo award

| Season | Level | Player | Position | Nationality | Apps | Goals | Caps | Notes |
| 1973–74 | Div 1 | Mick Channon | Forward | England | 607 | 228 | 46$^†$ | |
| 1974–75 | Div 2$^¤$ | Mel Blyth | Defender | England | 136 | 7 | 0 | — |
| 1975–76 | Div 2 | David Peach | Defender | England | 282 | 44 | 0 | |
| 1976–77 | Div 2 | Steve Williams | Midfielder | England | 349 | 27 | 6$^†$ | — |
| 1977–78 | Div 2 | Alan Ball | Midfielder | England | 234 | 13 | 72$^†$ | |
| 1978–79 | Div 1$^¤$ | Malcolm Waldron | Defender | England | 218 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1979–80 | Div 1 | Phil Boyer | Forward | England | 162 | 61 | 1$^†$ | — |
| 1980–81 | Div 1 | Ivan Golac | Defender | Yugoslavia | 197 | 4 | 1$^†$ | |
| 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$^†$ | |
| 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 | |
| 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$^†$ | |
| 1993–94 | Div 1 | Matt Le Tissier (2) | Midfielder | England | 540 | 210 | 8$^†$ | |
| 1994–95 | Div 1 | Matt Le Tissier (3) | Midfielder | England | 540 | 210 | 8$^†$ | |
| 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 | |
| 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$^†$ | |
| 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 | |
| 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$^†$ | |
| 2012–13 | Div 1$^¤$ | Morgan Schneiderlin | Midfielder | France | 261 | 15 | 15$^†$ | — |
| 2013–14 | Div 1 | Adam Lallana | Midfielder | England | 265 | 60 | 34$^†$ | — |
| 2014–15 | Div 1 | José Fonte (2) | Defender | Portugal | 288 | 15 | 50$^†$ | |
| 2015–16 | Div 1 | Shane Long | Forward | Republic of Ireland | 245 | 36 | 88$^†$ | — |
| 2016–17 | Div 1 | Oriol Romeu | Midfielder | Spain | 256 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2017–18 | Div 1 | Alex McCarthy$^*$ | Goalkeeper | England | 147 | 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 | Roméo Lavia | Midfielder | Belgium | 34 | 1 | 1$^†$ |
| 2023–24 | Div 2$^¤$ | Flynn Downes$^*$ | Midfielder | England | 36 | 2 | 0 | |

### Southampton F.C. award

| Season | Level | Player | Position | Nationality | Apps | Goals | Caps | Notes |
| 2012–13 | Div 1$^¤$ | Morgan Schneiderlin | Midfielder | France | 261 | 15 | 15$^†$ | — |
| 2013–14 | Div 1 | Adam Lallana | Midfielder | England | 265 | 60 | 34$^†$ | — |
| 2014–15 | Div 1 | José Fonte | Defender | Portugal | 288 | 15 | 50$^†$ | — |
| 2015–16 | Div 1 | Virgil van Dijk | Defender | Netherlands | 80 | 7 | 56$^†$ | — |
| 2016–17 | Div 1 | Oriol Romeu | Midfielder | Spain | 256 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2017–18 | Div 1 | Alex McCarthy$^*$ | Goalkeeper | England | 147 | 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 | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 2023–24 | Div 2$^¤$ | Adam Armstrong$^*$ | Forward | England | 119 | 29 | 0 | |

## Footnotes

* 1 2 The official level of competition in the structure of the English football league system.
* 1 2 For a detailed description of playing positions, see association football positions.
* ↑ The inaugural winner of the award.
* ↑ Received eight caps for the England under-21 team.
* ↑ Went on to manage the club between 1994 and 1995.
* ↑ Received one cap for the England B team.
* ↑ The first non-English and non-British winner of the award.
* ↑ The first player to win the award twice, and in consecutive seasons.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Won the award on two occasions.
* ↑ Received one cap for the England under-23 team.
* ↑ The first player to win the award three times.
* ↑ Received four caps for the England under-21 team.
* ↑ Received one cap for the England under-21 team.
* 1 2 Received five caps for the Spain under-23 team.
* ↑ Received six caps for the England under-20 team.
* ↑ Received five caps for the England under-21 team.