Norwich City F.C. Player of the Season

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 two official Norwich City awards, 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 in 1967, nine players have won the award twice, and one, Grant Holt, has won the award three times, in 2010, 2011 and 2012. ^[6] Kevin Keelan was the first player to win the award in consecutive seasons, a feat since emulated by Martin Peters, Kevin Drinkell, Iwan Roberts, and Grant Holt. ^[7] 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

Season	Level/Tier [nb 1]	Name [11]	Position [nb 2]	Nationality	Caps [nb 3]	Notes
1967	2	Terry Allcock	Defender [nb 4]	England		Inaugural winner.
1968	2	Hugh Curran	Striker	Scotland	5
1969	2	Ken Foggo	Winger	Scotland
1970	2	Duncan Forbes	Defender	Scotland
1971	2	Ken Foggo	Winger	Scotland		Second award.
1972	2	Dave Stringer	Defender	England		Went on to manage the club, 1987–1992. [12]
1973	1	Kevin Keelan	Goalkeeper	England		First goalkeeper to win the award, and retained it the following year.
1974	1	Kevin Keelan	Goalkeeper	England [nb 5]		Second award.
1975	2	Colin Suggett	Midfielder	England
1976	1	Martin Peters	Midfielder	England	67
1977	1	Martin Peters	Midfielder	England	67	Second award.
1978	1	John Ryan	Winger	England
1979	1	Tony Powell	Defender	England
1980	1	Kevin Bond	Defender	England		No voting for award this year
1981	1	Joe Royle	Striker	England	6
1982	2	Greg Downs	Defender	England
1983	1	Dave Watson	Defender	England	12
1984	1	Chris Woods	Goalkeeper	England	43
1985	1	Steve 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	Kevin 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	Kevin Drinkell	Striker	England		Second award. His goals helped newly promoted Norwich finished fifth in the First Division.
1988	1	Bryan Gunn	Goalkeeper	Scotland	6
1989	1	Dale Gordon	Midfielder	England
1990	1	Mark Bowen	Defender	Wales	35
1991	1	Ian Culverhouse	Defender	England
1992	1	Robert Fleck	Striker	Scotland	4
1993	1	Bryan Gunn	Goalkeeper	Scotland	6	Second award.
1994	1	Chris Sutton	Striker [nb 6]	England	1
1995	1	Jon Newsome	Defender	England
1996	2	Spencer Prior	Defender	England
1997	2	Darren Eadie	Winger	England
1998	2	Matt Jackson	Defender	England
1999	2	Iwan Roberts	Striker	Wales	15
2000	2	Iwan Roberts	Striker	Wales	15	Second award. Consecutive wins for first time since 1987.
2001	2	Andy Marshall	Goalkeeper	England
2002	2	Gary Holt	Midfielder	Scotland	10
2003	2	Adam Drury	Defender	England
2004	2	Craig Fleming	Defender	England
2005	1	Darren Huckerby	Striker / Winger	England
2006	2	Gary Doherty	Defender [nb 7]	Republic of Ireland	34	First non–British winner.
2007	2	Darren Huckerby	Striker / Winger	England		Second award.
2008	2	Dion Dublin	Striker / Defender	England	4	The oldest winner at the age of 39; retired at end of season. [13]
2009	2	Lee Croft	Midfielder / Winger	England
2010	3	Grant Holt	Striker	England		Won the award in his first season with Norwich, who sealed promotion to the Championship as League One champions.
2011	2	Grant 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	Grant Holt	Striker	England		First player to win the award 3 times. His goals helped Norwich reach their highest league finish for 18 years.
2013	1	Sébastien Bassong	Defender	Cameroon	15	First African/ Non European to win the award [14]
2014	1	Robert Snodgrass	Winger	Scotland	15	Reserve goalkeeper Carlo Nash actually led the fan poll due to a protest vote. [15]
2015	2	Bradley Johnson	Midfielder	England
2016	1	Jonny Howson	Midfielder	England
2017	2	Wes Hoolahan	Midfielder	Republic of Ireland	37
2018	2	James Maddison	Midfielder	England
2019	2	Teemu Pukki	Striker	Finland	102	First winner from continental Europe
2020	1	Tim Krul	Goalkeeper	Netherlands	15
2021	2	Emiliano Buendía	Midfielder / Winger	Argentina	1	First winner from South America
2022	1	Teemu Pukki	Striker	Finland	102	Second award [16]
2023	2	Gabriel Sara	Midfielder	Brazil
2024	2	Kenny McLean †	Midfielder	Scotland	36

Summary of wins by playing position

Gary Holt's achievements from midfield in 2001–02 were also recognised with the Capital Canaries Player of the Season award

Position [nb 8]	Number of winners [nb 9]
Goalkeeper	7
Defender	17
Midfielder	12
Forward [nb 10]	16

Summary of wins by country

country	Number of winners [nb 9]
England	33
Scotland	9
Wales	3
Republic of Ireland	2
Finland	2
Argentina	1
Brazil	1
Cameroon	1
Netherlands	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, to 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. Multiple winners are counted multiple times.
10. Includes strikers and wingers.

References

1. "Player of the Year". canaries.co.uk. 27 April 2007. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
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 3 October 2007. Top honour, of course, was the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy for player of the year.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
4. "FLEMING HONOURED TO WIN AWARD". canaries.co.uk. 7 November 2004. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
5. "HUCKS ON A HAT-TRICK". canaries.co.uk. 4 May 2007. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
6. Grant Holt – My Norwich City achievements will take some time to sink in Archived 17 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine , Eastern Daily Press, 14 May 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
7. "Player of the Season – The Barry Butler Memorial Trophy". On The Ball, City. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2007.
8. "Dave Stringer's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 2 January 2005. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
9. "Race is on for Barry Butler trophy". The Pink 'Un. 16 March 2006. Retrieved 3 October 2007.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
10. "Canary stats – Norwich City Hall of Fame". Eastern Daily Press. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2007.
11. "Player of the Season 1967–2007". canaries.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
12. "Dave Stringer's managerial career". soccerbase.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2005. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
13. "Tearful Dublin in Carrow farewell". BBC Online. 28 April 2008. Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2008.
14. "Bassong Named Player of the Season". Norwich City FC. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
15. "Spectator Nash favourite for player gong". Lancashire Telegraph. 1 May 2014. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
16. "Pukki wins War Paint for Men Player of the Season award". Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.