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, 42 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 2022–23 season, is midfielder Roméo Lavia.[19]
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. [20] 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.[20] Tino Livramento received the President's Choice Award, while Dominic Ballard won Scholar of the Year.[20] For Southampton Women, awards were given out after their 2022-23 campaign.[21] 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.[21]
- ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 9
- ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 13
- ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 16
- ^ a b "Southampton St Mary's". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, pp. 21–35
- ^ a b c d e "Southampton". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 64
- ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 5
- ^ Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 67
- ^ Chalk & Holley 2003, p. 86
- ^ Chalk & Holley 2003, pp. 361–363
- ^ Chalk & Holley 2003, pp. 286–287
- ^ "Manchester United 3–2 Southampton". BBC Sport. 26 February 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
- ^ Shemilt, Stephan (28 March 2010). "Carlisle 1 - 4 Southampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b Illingsworth 2007, p. 71
- ^ a b Kelly, Christian (11 May 2002). "Player of the Year - Southampton FC". Saints Mad. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ Nurick, Benjy (27 May 2023). "Romeo Lavia caps impressive maiden campaign with Daily Echo award". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ a b c "Player Awards: The winners". Southampton F.C. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Women's Fans' awards announced | Southampton FC | News". www.southamptonfc.com. Retrieved 27 August 2023.