Norwich City F.C. Player of the Season

Five men standing on a grass football pitch, wearing yellow shirts, green shorts and yellow socks.
Iwan Roberts, who won the award twice.

The Norwich City Player of the Season award is voted for annually by Norwich City's supporters, in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season.[1] As a mark of respect, the trophy is named The Barry Butler memorial trophy after the club captain who was killed in a car accident on 9 April 1966.[2]

This is the more prestigious of just two awards made by Norwich City itself each year to its players, the other being the 'Young Player of the Year' accolade.[3] The 2003–04 winner Craig Fleming made clear just how important this award is to Norwich City players, "It is something you dream of winning... it is such a prestigious award".[4] Other awards available are awarded by other bodies, namely the Capital Canaries, Norwich City Independent Supporters Association and the "Ambassador Club".[5]

Since the inaugural award was made to Terry Allcock, eight players have won the award twice and one three times, Grant Holt in 2010, 2011 and 2012.[6] World Cup winner Martin Peters was the first to win the trophy in consecutive seasons, a feat since emulated by strikers Kevin Drinkell and Iwan Roberts, as well as Holt.[7] Just two winners have gone on to manage the club, Dave Stringer,[8] the 1972 winner, and double-winner Bryan Gunn.

Voting mechanism

This award is voted for by the fans of the club. Toward the end of the season, fans are invited to vote, either by submitting a paper slip to the club's Carrow Road offices, or by email or text message, with the winner being the player that polls the most votes.[9] A percentage of the votes from the 'Player of the Month' awards throughout the season also count towards the final votes for Player of the year.[9]

List of winners

  Norwich City F.C. Hall of Fame inductee[10]
† Player currently on the playing staff of the club

SeasonLevel/Tier[nb 1]Name[11]Position[nb 2] NationalityCaps[nb 3]Notes
1967 2 Allcock, TerryTerry Allcock Defender[nb 4]  England Inaugural winner.
1968 2 Curran, HughHugh Curran Striker  Scotland 5
1969 2 Foggo, KenKen Foggo Winger  Scotland
1970 2 Forbes, DuncanDuncan Forbes Defender  Scotland
1971 2 Foggo, KenKen Foggo Winger  Scotland Second award.
1972 2 Stringer, DaveDave Stringer Defender  England Went on to manage the club, 1987–1992.[12]
1973 1 Keelan, KevinKevin Keelan Goalkeeper  England First goalkeeper to win the award, and retained it the following year.
1974 1 Keelan, KevinKevin Keelan Goalkeeper  England[nb 5] Second award.
1975 2 Suggett, ColinColin Suggett Midfielder  England
1976 1 Peters, MartinMartin Peters Midfielder  England 67
1977 1 Peters, MartinMartin Peters Midfielder  England 67 Second award.
1978 1 Ryan, JohnJohn Ryan Winger  England
1979 1 Powell, TonyTony Powell Defender  England
1980 1 Bond, KevinKevin Bond Defender  England No voting for award this year
1981 1 Royle, JoeJoe Royle Striker  England 6
1982 2 Downs, GregGreg Downs Defender  England
1983 1 Watson, DaveDave Watson Defender  England 12
1984 1 Woods, ChrisChris Woods Goalkeeper  England 43
1985 1 Bruce, SteveSteve Bruce Defender  England Won the award in his first season with Norwich, who were Football League Cup winners but suffered relegation to the Second Division.
1986 2 Drinkell, KevinKevin Drinkell Striker  England Won the award in his first season with Norwich, who were promoted back to the First Division as Second Division champions.
1987 1 Drinkell, KevinKevin Drinkell Striker  England Second award. His goals helped newly promoted Norwich finished fifth in the First Division.
1988 1 Gunn, BryanBryan Gunn Goalkeeper  Scotland 6
1989 1 Gordon, DaleDale Gordon Midfielder  England
1990 1 Bowen, MarkMark Bowen Defender  Wales 35
1991 1 Culverhouse, IanIan Culverhouse Defender  England
1992 1 Fleck, RobertRobert Fleck Striker  Scotland 4
1993 1 Gunn, BryanBryan Gunn Goalkeeper  Scotland 6 Second award.
1994 1 Sutton, ChrisChris Sutton Striker[nb 6]  England 1
1995 1 Newsome, JonJon Newsome Defender  England
1996 2 Prior, SpencerSpencer Prior Defender  England
1997 2 Eadie, DarrenDarren Eadie Winger  England
1998 2 Jackson, MattMatt Jackson Defender  England
1999 2 Roberts, IwanIwan Roberts Striker  Wales 15
2000 2 Roberts, IwanIwan Roberts Striker  Wales 15 Second award.
Consecutive wins for first time since 1987.
2001 2 Marshall, AndyAndy Marshall Goalkeeper  England
2002 2 Holt, GaryGary Holt Midfielder  Scotland 10
2003 2 Drury, AdamAdam Drury Defender  England
2004 2 Fleming, CraigCraig Fleming Defender  England
2005 1 Huckerby, DarrenDarren Huckerby Striker / Winger  England
2006 2 Doherty, GaryGary Doherty Defender[nb 7]  Ireland 34 First non–British winner.
2007 2 Huckerby, DarrenDarren Huckerby Striker / Winger  England Second award.
2008 2 Dublin, DionDion Dublin Striker / Defender  England 4 The oldest winner at the age of 39; retired at end of season.[13]
2009 2 Croft, LeeLee Croft Midfielder / Winger  England
2010 3 Holt, GrantGrant Holt Striker  England Won the award in his first season with Norwich, who sealed promotion to the Championship as League One champions.
2011 2 Holt, GrantGrant Holt Striker  England Second award for the player, whose goals helped Norwich reach the Premier League with a second successive promotion as Championship runners–up.
2012 1 Holt, GrantGrant Holt Striker  England Third Award for the player, whose goals helped Norwich reach their highest league finish for 18 years.
2013 1 Bassong, SébastienSébastien Bassong † Defender  Cameroon 15 First African/ Non European to win the award[14]
2014 1 Snodgrass, RobertRobert Snodgrass Winger  Scotland 15 Reserve goalkeeper Carlo Nash actually led the fan poll due to a protest vote.[15]
2015 2 Johnson, BradleyBradley Johnson Midfielder  England
2016 1 Howson, JonnyJonny Howson† Midfielder  England
2017 2 Hoolahan, WesWes Hoolahan† Midfielder  Ireland 37

Summary of wins by playing position

A man wearing a suit and a man wearing a shirt, tie and trousers, jointly holding a trophy.
Holt's achievements from midfield in 2001–2 were also recognised with the Capital Canaries Player of the Season award
Position[nb 8] Number of winners[nb 9]
Goalkeeper 6
Defender 17
Midfielder 9
Forward[nb 10] 14

Summary of wins by country

country Number of winners[nb 9]
EnglandEngland 33
Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland 2
ScotlandScotland 8
WalesWales 3
CameroonCameroon 1

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The official "Level" of competition in the structure of the English league system.
  2. ↑ For a full description of positions see Football Positions.
  3. ↑ If blank, uncapped at full international level.
  4. ↑ By this point in his career, the former forward was playing at "half-back".
  5. ↑ Keelan was born in India, of English parents.
  6. ↑ Played some games in defence, but scored 28 goals in all competitions and was then sold to Blackburn Rovers for a then national record fee of £5million.
  7. ↑ Also played some games as a striker.
  8. ↑ Doherty has been classed as a defender, Sutton as a striker, Allcock as a defender.
  9. 1 2 Multiple winners are counted multiple times.
  10. ↑ Includes strikers and wingers.

References

  1. ↑ "Player of the Year". canaries.co.uk. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  2. ↑ Eastwood, John; Mike Davage (1986). Canary Citizens. Almeida Books. p. 107. ISBN 0-7117-2020-7. As a mark of permanent respect...
  3. ↑ "Roll up for the end of the year show". The Pink 'Un. 5 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-03. Top honour, of course, was the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy for player of the year.
  4. ↑ "FLEMING HONOURED TO WIN AWARD". canaries.co.uk. 7 November 2004. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  5. ↑ "HUCKS ON A HAT-TRICK". canaries.co.uk. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  6. ↑ Grant Holt – My Norwich City achievements will take some time to sink in, Eastern Daily Press, 2012-05-14. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  7. ↑ "Player of the Season – The Barry Butler Memorial Trophy". On The Ball, City. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  8. ↑ "Dave Stringer's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2007-10-15.
  9. 1 2 "Race is on for Barry Butler trophy". The Pink 'Un. 16 March 2006. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  10. ↑ "Canary stats – Norwich City Hall of Fame". Eastern Daily Press. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
  11. ↑ "Player of the Season 1967–2007". canaries.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 January 2008. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
  12. ↑ "Dave Stringer's managerial career". soccerbase.com. Retrieved 2007-10-15.
  13. ↑ "Tearful Dublin in Carrow farewell". BBC Online. 2008-04-28. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
  14. ↑ "Bassong Named Player of the Season". Norwich City FC. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  15. ↑ "Carlo Nash favourite to be Norwich City's Player of the Season (despite not playing a game) as fans hijack voting system". Daily Mail. Retrieved 13 May 2014.

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