PFAI Players' Player of the Year
Encyclopedia
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
, whom is seen to have been the best player of the previous season.
The shortlist is compiled by the members of the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland (the PFAI), and then the winner is voted for by the other players in the league. The prize is regarded as the highest awarded by the PFAI – especially by the players – and is seen as the primary "Player of the Year" award in Ireland.
The award was first given in 1981, and was won by Athlone Town
Athlone Town A.F.C.
Athlone Town F.C. is an Irish football club from Athlone, playing in the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1887. First elected to the League of Ireland in 1922, they play their home matches in Lissywoollen their new stadium which opened in 2007...
player Padraig O'Connor
Padraig O'Connor
Padraig O'Connor was an Irish soccer player in the League of Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s.He played for Bohemians from 1973 to 1978 winning 2 league titles and making 147 league appearances , scoring 11 goals. He also made 14 appearances in European competition for the club scoring 1 goal in...
. The latest winner of the award was Richie Ryan
Richie Ryan (footballer)
Richie Ryan is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Sligo Rovers. He has agreed to sign for Dundee United on a two and a half year deal in January 2012.-Career:...
of Sligo Rovers
Sligo Rovers F.C.
Sligo Rovers Football Club is a professional Irish football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1928 and have been in the League of Ireland since 1934. The club is a co-operative venture, owned by the people of Sligo. Sligo Rovers have played at...
.
2010s
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Richie Ryan Richie Ryan (footballer) Richie Ryan is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Sligo Rovers. He has agreed to sign for Dundee United on a two and a half year deal in January 2012.-Career:... |
Sligo Rovers Sligo Rovers F.C. Sligo Rovers Football Club is a professional Irish football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1928 and have been in the League of Ireland since 1934. The club is a co-operative venture, owned by the people of Sligo. Sligo Rovers have played at... |
2000s
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 |  Gary TwiggGary Twigg Gary Twigg is a Scottish footballer who currently plays for Shamrock Rovers in the League of Ireland.-Emerging Talent:Twigg began his career with Irish Side club Emerging Talent having graduated through the youth system... |
Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24... |
| 2008 | Keith Fahey Keith Fahey Keith Declan Fahey is an Republic of Ireland international footballer who plays for English club Birmingham City. With Ireland he was part of the team that secured qualification for UEFA Euro 2012.... |
St. Patrick's Athletic St Patrick's Athletic F.C. St Patrick's Athletic Football Club is a football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Founded in 1929, they are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore and play their home matches at Richmond Park. They have won the League of Ireland title 7 times and... |
| 2007 | Brian Shelley Brian Shelley Brian Shelley is an Irish footballer currently playing Ballarat Red Devils.He began his career at Shamrock Rovers but moved to rivals Bohemians in 2000. He made his first team debut for the club as substitute in the UEFA Cup tie against 1. FC Kaiserslautern in September 2000... |
Drogheda United |
| 2006 |  Joseph NdoJoseph Ndo Joseph Cyrille Ndo is a Cameroonian international football player, born in Yaoundé, currently registered with Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland Premier Division.-Cameroon:... |
Shelbourne Shelbourne F.C. Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division.... |
| 2005 | Mark Farren Mark Farren Mark Farren is an Irish footballer who plays as a striker with League of Ireland club Derry City.-Career:... |
Derry City Derry City F.C. Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division... |
| 2004 | Jason Byrne Jason Byrne (footballer) Jason Byrne is an Irish football player, currently playing for Dundalk in the League of Ireland.-Bray Wanderers:... |
Shelbourne Shelbourne F.C. Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division.... |
| 2003 | Jason Byrne Jason Byrne (footballer) Jason Byrne is an Irish football player, currently playing for Dundalk in the League of Ireland.-Bray Wanderers:... |
Shelbourne Shelbourne F.C. Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division.... |
| 2003 | Glen Crowe Glen Crowe Glen Crowe is an Irish professional football forward who currently plays for Malahide United in the Leinster Senior League.... |
Bohemians Bohemian F.C. Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11... |
| 2002 | Owen Heary Owen Heary Owen Heary is an Irish professional football defender and currently captain of Bohemians .-Playing career:He made his League of Ireland debut for Kilkenny City at Bray Wanderers on 21 November 1993... |
Shelbourne Shelbourne F.C. Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division.... |
| 2001 | Glen Crowe Glen Crowe Glen Crowe is an Irish professional football forward who currently plays for Malahide United in the Leinster Senior League.... |
Bohemians Bohemian F.C. Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11... |
| 2000 | Pat Fenlon Pat Fenlon Patrick "Pat" "Nutsy" Fenlon is an Irish former footballer and manager. He is currently in charge of Scottish Premier League club Hibernian.... |
Shelbourne Shelbourne F.C. Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division.... |
1990s
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Paul Osam Paul Osam Paul Osam is a former professional football player.- Career :Osam started his League of Ireland career in 1988 when he was signed by Brian Kerr for St Patrick's Athletic from junior side Mount Merrion... |
St. Patrick's Athletic St Patrick's Athletic F.C. St Patrick's Athletic Football Club is a football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Founded in 1929, they are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore and play their home matches at Richmond Park. They have won the League of Ireland title 7 times and... |
| 1998 | Pat Scully Pat Scully Patrick Joseph "Pat" Scully is an Irish football manager, currently in charge of Limerick in the League of Ireland... |
Shelbourne Shelbourne F.C. Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division.... |
| 1997 |  Peter HuttonPeter Hutton Peter Hutton is an experimental filmmaker, known primarily for his silent cinematic portraits of cities and landscapes around the world. He has also worked as a professional cinematographer, most notably for his former student Ken Burns. Hutton studied painting, sculpture and film at the San... |
Derry City Derry City F.C. Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division... |
| 1996 | Eddie Gormley Eddie Gormley Eddie Gormley is a former Irish football player and manager of Bray Wanderers.Gormley was a midfielder and played league football in England, Scotland and Ireland... |
St. Patrick's Athletic St Patrick's Athletic F.C. St Patrick's Athletic Football Club is a football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Founded in 1929, they are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore and play their home matches at Richmond Park. They have won the League of Ireland title 7 times and... |
| 1995 | Liam Coyle Liam Coyle Liam Coyle is a former Northern Irish footballer who plied his trade with Derry City F.C. from 1988 until 2003. Born in Derry, Northern Ireland, he is remembered for scoring a hat-trick on his Derry City debut against Cobh Ramblers on 6 November, 1988.-Club career:After playing for Finn Harps F.C... |
Derry City Derry City F.C. Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division... |
| 1994 | Stephen Geoghegan Stephen Geoghegan Stephen Geoghegan is a former Irish football player and current manager of O'Devaney Dunard FC.His first league club was Drogheda United where he won two League of Ireland First Division titles and 1 League of Ireland First Division Shield... |
Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24... |
| 1993 | Donal O'Brien | Derry City Derry City F.C. Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division... |
| 1992 | Pat Fenlon Pat Fenlon Patrick "Pat" "Nutsy" Fenlon is an Irish former footballer and manager. He is currently in charge of Scottish Premier League club Hibernian.... |
Bohemians Bohemian F.C. Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11... |
| 1991 | Pat Morley Pat Morley (footballer) Pat "Skippy" Morley is a former footballer for Cork City F.C., Shelbourne, Limerick F.C. and Waterford United F.C.. Pat also works for Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann as a commentator and analyst on League of Ireland soccer.He made his League of Ireland debut for Waterford United away to... |
Cork City |
| 1990 | Mark Ennis | St. Patrick's Athletic |
1980s
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Paul Doolin Paul Doolin Paul Doolin is a former Irish footballer and manager.He played for Bohemians, scoring on his debut on 13 September 1981. In June 1985 he signed for Shamrock Rovers and in his three years at the club won the double twice scoring 30 goals in 107 appearances. In his first season at Milltown he was... |
Derry City Derry City F.C. Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division... |
| 1988 | Paddy Dillon | St. Patrick's Athletic |
| 1987 | Mick Byrne Mick Byrne Michael "Mick" Byrne was an Irish football player during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.-Playing career:He made his league debut as a Bohemians player on 25 March 1979 and had a spell at Shelbourne, where he was Player of the Month in February 1982.He attracted the interest of Manchester City during... |
Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24... |
| 1986 | Paul Doolin Paul Doolin Paul Doolin is a former Irish footballer and manager.He played for Bohemians, scoring on his debut on 13 September 1981. In June 1985 he signed for Shamrock Rovers and in his three years at the club won the double twice scoring 30 goals in 107 appearances. In his first season at Milltown he was... |
Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24... |
| 1985 | Tommy Gaynor Tommy Gaynor Tommy Gaynor was an Irish soccer player during the 1980s and 1990s.He made his League of Ireland debut on the 13th of September 1981 for Limerick United before signing for Shamrock Rovers in 1982. He scored 2 goals in 3 appearances for the club in the UEFA Cup. He left to sign for Dundalk in 1983... |
Limerick City Limerick F.C. Limerick Football Club is an association football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was founded in 1937 and has had a number of guises through its history, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick... |
| 1984 | Pat Byrne Pat Byrne Pat Byrne is a former Irish football player and manager.-Playing career:A central midfielder, Byrne's playing career started with Bohemians, his debut coming against St Patricks Athletic on 25 August 1974... |
Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24... |
| 1983 | Martin Murray Martin Murray Martin Murray is a retired Irish Association football player and manager.-Biography:Murray was a midfielder who won the FAI Cup as a 16 year old when his Home Farm F.C. side shocked the Irish footballing fraternity by beating Shelbourne in the 1975 Final. Everton F.C. saw his potential and soon... |
Drogheda United |
| 1982 | Paul McGrath Paul McGrath (footballer) Paul McGrath is a retired Irish footballer, who played as a defender. McGrath is widely recognised as one of the greatest players to have ever come out of Ireland.... |
St. Patrick's Athletic St Patrick's Athletic F.C. St Patrick's Athletic Football Club is a football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Founded in 1929, they are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore and play their home matches at Richmond Park. They have won the League of Ireland title 7 times and... |
| 1981 | Padraig O'Connor Padraig O'Connor Padraig O'Connor was an Irish soccer player in the League of Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s.He played for Bohemians from 1973 to 1978 winning 2 league titles and making 147 league appearances , scoring 11 goals. He also made 14 appearances in European competition for the club scoring 1 goal in... |
Athlone Town Athlone Town A.F.C. Athlone Town F.C. is an Irish football club from Athlone, playing in the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1887. First elected to the League of Ireland in 1922, they play their home matches in Lissywoollen their new stadium which opened in 2007... |
Winners by club
| Club | Number of wins |
|---|---|
| St. Patrick's Athletic St Patrick's Athletic F.C. St Patrick's Athletic Football Club is a football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Founded in 1929, they are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore and play their home matches at Richmond Park. They have won the League of Ireland title 7 times and... |
6 (1982, 1988, 1990, 1996, 1999, 2008) |
| Shelbourne Shelbourne F.C. Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division.... |
6 (1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006) |
| Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24... |
5 (1984, 1986, 1987, 1994, 2009) |
| Derry City Derry City F.C. Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division... |
5 (1989, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005) |
| Bohemians Bohemian F.C. Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11... |
3 (1992, 2001, 2003) |
| Drogheda United | 2 (1983, 2007) |
| Sligo Rovers Sligo Rovers F.C. Sligo Rovers Football Club is a professional Irish football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1928 and have been in the League of Ireland since 1934. The club is a co-operative venture, owned by the people of Sligo. Sligo Rovers have played at... |
1 (2010) |
| Cork City | 1 (1991) |
| Limerick City Limerick F.C. Limerick Football Club is an association football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was founded in 1937 and has had a number of guises through its history, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick... |
1 (1985) |
| Athlone Town Athlone Town A.F.C. Athlone Town F.C. is an Irish football club from Athlone, playing in the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1887. First elected to the League of Ireland in 1922, they play their home matches in Lissywoollen their new stadium which opened in 2007... |
1 (1981) |
Winners by country
| Country | Number of wins |
|---|---|
| Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland national football team The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010.... |
26 (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010) |
| 2 (1995, 1997) | |
| 1 (2006) | |
| 1 (2009) |