The results are in and we can now reveal the winners of the 2020/21 Southampton Football Club Player Awards.
Votes have been cast across both the Men’s and Women’s First Teams, while there were also prestigious accolades on offer in the Academy and Girls’ Regional Talent Club.
James Ward-Prowse had already scooped the Virgin Media Fans’ Player of the Season prize ahead of the end of the campaign, receiving his trophy prior to the home game against Leeds, and the Saints captain has now completed a prestigious double, also earning the plaudits of his teammates, who chose him as Players’ Player of the Season.
It caps a fine campaign from the Saints captain, who once again played every minute of the campaign for Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side, contributing nine goals and seven assists.
He narrowly missed out on an incredible hat-trick of awards, coming close to picking up the Sportsbet.io Goal of the Season trophy too.
That instead went to Danny Ings, whose sensational lobbed effort in the 1-0 home win over Liverpool narrowly edged out Ché Adams’s strike at Sheffield United and Ward-Prowse’s free-kick away to Newcastle.
Elsewhere, Nathan Tella was named winner of the Young Player of the Season following his breakout campaign in which he featured 22 times for the first-team, with the 21-year-old also scoring his first senior goal, in the 3-1 home win over Fulham, in May.
Stuart Armstrong was chosen by Honorary Club President Terry Paine as winner of this year’s President’s Choice Award, following another impressive campaign from the midfielder.
Terry Paine said: “I’ve been highly impressed with him, in terms of his effort and output, and the fact he has played in multiple positions. That’s never easy to do, but he has handled it very well. He’s shown that bit of spark, and he’s got that burst of pace that can make a real difference.”
In the Women’s team prizes, the prestigious Virgin Media Fans’ Player of the Season award went to striker Ella Pusey, who was again outstanding for Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side, scoring 13 goals in 12 games, becoming the club’s record scorer in the process.
Goalkeeper Kayla Rendell scooped the Players’ Player of the Season award, following a tremendous season between the posts, keeping six clean sheets in the abridged season.
Fellow keeper Sara Luce was recognised with The Southampton Way Award, which is given to a player who has contributed greatly both on and off the pitch for the team.
The Virgin Media Goal of the Season trophy went to Rachel Panting, whose stunning first-time strike from 30 yards against Lewes came out on top. It's the second successive season that the striker has won the accolade.
In the Saints Academy, 18-year-old defender Will Tizzard won the prestigious Scholar of the Year prize, while Megan Collett was the recipient of the Girls’ Regional Talent Club Player of the Season award.
2020/21 PLAYER AWARD WINNERS
MEN’S FIRST TEAM
• Virgin Media Fans' Player of the Season – James Ward-Prowse
• Players’ Player of the Season – James Ward-Prowse
• Sportsbet.io Goal of the Season – Danny Ings vs Liverpool
• Young Player of the Season – Nathan Tella
• President’s Choice Award – Stuart Armstrong
ACADEMY
• Scholar of the Year – Will Tizzard
WOMEN’S FIRST TEAM
• Virgin Media Fans’ Player of the Season – Ella Pusey
• Players’ Player of the Season – Kayla Rendell
• Virgin Media Goal of the Season – Rachel Panting vs Lewes
• Southampton Way Award – Sara Luce
GIRLS’ REGIONAL TALENT CLUB
• Girls’ Regional Talent Club Player of the Season – Megan Collett
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