Elected by the Football Writers' Association. Any player from the English League, no matter their country of origin, is eligible. The award is for the season ending on the year the prize is given.
Year Player (Club)
1948 Stanley MATTHEWS (Blackpool)
1949 Johnny CAREY (Manchester United)
1950 Joe MERCER (Arsenal)
1951 Harry JOHNSTON (Blackpool)
1952 Billy WRIGHT (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
1953 Nat LOFTHOUSE (Bolton Wanderers)
1954 Tom FINNEY (Preston North End)
1955 Don REVIE (Manchester City)
1956 Bert TRAUTMANN (Manchester City)
1957 Tom FINNEY (Preston North End)
1958 Danny BLANCHFLOWER (Tottenham Hotspur)
1959 Syd OWEN (Luton Town)
1960 Bill SLATER (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
1961 Danny BLANCHFLOWER (Tottenham Hotspur)
1962 Jimmy ADAMSON (Burnley)
1963 Stanley MATTHEWS (Stoke City)
1964 Bobby MOORE (West Ham United)
1965 Bobby COLLINS (Leeds United)
1966 Bobby CHARLTON (Manchester United)
1967 Jackie CHARLTON (Leeds United)
1968 George BEST (Manchester United)
1969 Dave MACKAY (Derby County) and
Tony BOOK (Manchester City)
1970 Billy BREMNER (Leeds United)
1971 Frank McLINTOCK (Arsenal)
1972 Gordon BANKS (Stoke City)
1973 Pat JENNINGS (Tottenham Hotspur)
1974 Ian CALLAGHAN (Liverpool)
1975 Alan MULLERY (Fulham)
1976 Kevin KEEGAN (Liverpool)
1977 Emlyn HUGHES (Liverpool)
1978 Kenny BURNS (Nottingham Forest)
1979 Kenny DALGLISH (Liverpool)
1980 Terry McDERMOTT (Liverpool)
1981 Frans THIJSSEN (Ipswich Town)
1982 Steve PERRYMAN (Tottenham Hotspur)
1983 Kenny DALGLISH (Liverpool)
1984 Ian RUSH (Liverpool)
1985 Neville SOUTHALL (Everton)
1986 Gary LINEKER (Everton)
1987 Clive ALLEN (Tottenham Hotspur)
1988 John BARNES (Liverpool)
1989 Steve NICOL (Liverpool)
1990 John BARNES (Liverpool)
1991 Gordon STRACHAN (Leeds United)
1992 Gary LINEKER (Tottenham Hotspur)
1993 Chris WADDLE (Sheffield Wednesday)
1994 Alan SHEARER (Blackburn Rovers)
1995 Jürgen KLINSMANN (Tottenham Hotspur)
1996 Eric CANTONA (Manchester United)
1997 Gianfranco ZOLA (Chelsea)
1998 Dennis BERGKAMP (Arsenal)
1999 David GINOLA (Tottenham Hotspur)
2000 Roy KEANE (Manchester United)
2001 Teddy SHERINGHAM (Manchester United)
2002 Robert PIRES (Arsenal)
2003 Thierry HENRY (Arsenal)
2004 Thierry HENRY (Arsenal)
2005 Frank LAMPARD (Chelsea)
2006 Thierry HENRY (Arsenal)
2007 Cristiano RONALDO (Manchester United)
2008 Cristiano RONALDO (Manchester United)
2009 Steven GERRARD (Liverpool)
2010 Wayne ROONEY (Manchester United)
2011 Scott PARKER (West Ham United)
2012 Robin VAN PERSIE (Arsenal)
2013 Gareth BALE (Tottenham Hotspur)
2014 Luis SUAREZ (Liverpool)
2015 Eden HAZARD (Chelsea)
2016 Jamie VARDY (Leicester City)
2017 N'Golo KANTE (Chelsea)
2018 Mohamed SALAH (Liverpool)
2019 Raheem STERLING (Manchester City)
2020 Jordan HENDERSON (Liverpool)
2021 RÚBEN DIAS dos Santos (Manchester City)
2022 Mohamed SALAH (Liverpool)
2023 Erling HAALAND (Manchester City)
Note: The award was shared in 1969.
Thanks to Roberto Di Maggio for updates
Prepared and maintained by José Luis Pierrend for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: José Luis Pierrend (josepie@hotmail.com)
Last updated: 11 Jan 2024
(C) Copyright José Luis Pierrend and
RSSSF 1999/2024
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.