Southampton F.C. Player of the Season

Taylor Harwood-Bellis won the Southern Daily Echo Player of the Season award for the 2025–26 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 2025–26 season, is defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis.[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 Léo Scienza.[20]

Table key

Winners

As of 26 May 2026
1978 winner Alan Ball is the only player to have won the award and gone on to manage the club (from 1994 to 1995).
Kevin Keegan won the award in 1981–82, the same year he won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award.
Peter Shilton was the first goalkeeper to win the award, the first player to win it twice, and the first player to win it in two consecutive seasons.
To date, Matt Le Tissier is the only player to receive the accolade on three occasions (in 1990, 1994 and 1995).
Morgan Schneiderlin was the inaugural winner of the Southampton F.C. award.
James Ward-Prowse won both the Southampton F.C. award and Southern Daily Echo award in two consecutive seasons.

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 263 9 0 [N]
2017–18 Div 1 Alex McCarthy Goalkeeper  England 165 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 109 6 0 [O]
2024–25 Div 1¤ Mateus Fernandes Midfielder  Portugal 46 4 1† —
2025–26 Div 2¤ Taylor Harwood-Bellis* Defender  England 132 12 1† —

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 90† —
2016–17 Div 1 Oriol Romeu Midfielder  Spain 263 9 0 [N]
2017–18 Div 1 Alex McCarthy Goalkeeper  England 165 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 174 43 0 [P]
2024–25 Div 1¤ Mateus Fernandes Midfielder  Portugal 46 4 1† —
2025–26 Div 2¤ Léo Scienza* Midfielder  Brazil 44 7 0 —

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 The official level of competition in the structure of the English football league system.
  2. 1 2 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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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. 1 2 Received five caps for the Spain under-23 team.
  15. ↑ Received six caps for the England under-20 team.
  16. ↑ 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. 1 2 "Southampton St Mary's". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Chalk & Holley 1987, pp. 21–35
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "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. 1 2 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. 1 2 Illingsworth 2007, p. 71
  18. 1 2 Kelly, Christian (11 May 2002). "Player of the Year - Southampton FC". Saints Mad. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  19. ↑ House, Alfie (26 May 2026). "Harwood-Bellis wins Southern Daily Echo Player of the Year award". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  20. ↑ "Scienza wins Fans' and Players' Player of the Season". Southampton FC. 8 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.

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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