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.

PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year
Kieran Tierney won the award three times in consecutive seasons
Awarded for	The outstanding young player in each given Scottish football season
Country	Scotland
Presented by	PFA Scotland
First awarded	1978
Last awarded	2024
Young Player of the Year	David Watson
Most awards	Kieran Tierney (3)

List of winners

The first foreign winner of the award was Stiliyan Petrov, in 2001

Dundee United left-back Andy Robertson won the award in 2014

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	Ref
1977–78		Graeme Payne	Dundee United
1978–79		Ray Stewart	Dundee United
1979–80		John MacDonald	Rangers
1980–81		Charlie Nicholas	Celtic		[1]
1981–82		Frank McAvennie	St Mirren		[2]
1982–83		Paul McStay	Celtic		[3]
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		[4]
2001–02		Kevin McNaughton	Aberdeen		[5]
2002–03		James McFadden	Motherwell		[6]
2003–04		Stephen Pearson	Celtic		[7]
2004–05		Derek Riordan	Hibernian	Also won the SFWA award.	[8]
2005–06		Shaun Maloney	Celtic		[9]
2006–07		Steven Naismith	Kilmarnock		[10]
2007–08		Aiden McGeady	Celtic		[11]
2008–09		James McCarthy	Hamilton Academical		[11]
2009–10		Danny Wilson	Rangers	Also won the SFWA award.	[12]
2010–11		David Goodwillie	Dundee United	Also won the SFWA award.	[13]
2011–12		James Forrest	Celtic	Also won the SFWA award.	[14]
2012–13		Leigh Griffiths	Hibernian	Also won the SFWA Footballer of the Year award.	[15]
2013–14		Andrew Robertson	Dundee United		[16]
2014–15		Jason Denayer	Celtic		[17]
2015–16		Kieran Tierney	Celtic	Also won the SFWA award.	[18]
2016–17		Kieran Tierney	Celtic	Also won the SFWA award.	[19]
2017–18		Kieran Tierney	Celtic	Also won the SFWA award.	[20]
2018–19		Ryan Kent	Rangers		[21]
2019–20	—	—	—	Due to the covid-19 pandemic, PFA Scotland cancelled their awards for the 2019–20 season.	[22]
2020–21		David Turnbull	Celtic		[23][24]
2021–22		Liel Abada	Celtic		[25]
2022–23		Malik Tillman	Rangers		[26]
2023–24		David Watson	Kilmarnock	Also won the SFWA award.	[27]

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

See also

• PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year
• PFA Scotland Team of the Year
• PFA Scotland Manager of the Year
• SFWA Young Player of the Year

References

1. White, John (2006). The Celtic Football Miscellany. Carlton Books. p. 66. ISBN 1844421627.
2. "Macca's soft spot". Daily Record. 3 January 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
3. "Paul McStay". Scottish Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
4. "Petrov in double awards chase". BBC Sport. 16 April 2002. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
5. "Season review 2001/02". Scottish Premier League. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
6. "Season review 2002/03". Scottish Premier League. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
7. "Sutton and Pearson earn Celtic award double". ABC News. 26 April 2004. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
8. Haggerty, Anthony (18 February 2009). "Hibs ace Derek Riordan eyes Scotland return". Daily Record. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
9. Shaun Maloney at the Scottish Football Association
10. "Naismith nets young player prize". BBC Sport. BBC. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
11. "Ireland's James McCarthy is Scotland's "Young Player of the Year"". Football Association of Ireland. 5 May 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
12. "Davis crowned player of the year". BBC Sport. BBC. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
13. "David Goodwillie named Scotland's top young player". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
14. "Celtic duo Charlie Mulgrew & James Forrest scoop PFA player of the year awards". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
15. "Motherwell: Michael Higdon named player of the year". BBC Sport. BBC. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
16. "Andrew Robertson: Dundee United defender wins PFA prize". BBC Sport. BBC. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
17. "Celtic's Stefan Johansen named Scottish PFA player of the year". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
18. "Leigh Griffiths: Celtic forward named PFA Scotland Player of the Year". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 May 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
19. "Scott Sinclair named SPFA player of the year as Celtic win four awards". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
20. "Kris Boyd, John McGinn & Celtic's Scott Brown & James Forrest up for PFA award". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
21. "James Forrest, Steve Clarke & Ryan Kent win PFA Scotland annual awards". BBC Sport. BBC. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
22. McKay, Gabriel (19 May 2020). "Celtic and Rangers stars in line for end of season gongs as SFWA awards go ahead as planned". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
23. Lindsay, Clive (12 May 2021). "Ali McCann: Celtic aware of 'impressive' St Johnstone midfielder - Kennedy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
24. "Rangers: Steven Gerrard and James Tavernier win PFA Scotland awards". BBC Sport. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
25. "Celtic take five prizes at PFA Scotland awards, including manager of the year". BBC Sport. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
26. "Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi and Caitlin Hayes win PFA Scotland player of the year awards". BBC Sport. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
27. "Lawrence Shankland, David Watson & Rangers trio win PFA awards". BBC Sport. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.