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All of our Player of the Year winners

by
Joe Ganley
Friday 14 May 2021 11:27

The first Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award was presented in 1988, with Brian McClair the inaugural winner.

The prize is voted for by the club's supporters, and runs alongside the Players' Player of the Year award.
 
The current holder of the accolade is midfielder Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese star has now won the trophy in successive seasons following his incredible goal and assist exploits in 2019/20 and 2020/21.

Bruno initially took the trophy from Luke Shaw, whose success in 2018/19 means he was the first defender to collect the award in a decade.

Fernandes voted 2019/20 Player of the Year article

The midfielder has claimed the coveted Sir Matt Busby award, after making a huge impact since joining.

David de Gea is the most frequent claimant of the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, with four triumphs, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo, who emerged as the club's outstanding player in 2004, 2007 and 2008.
 
Beyond Ronaldo, there are six players tied on two gongs each: McClair, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney and now Fernandes.
 
In total, there have been 23 different winners of the award, across 13 different nationalities. The prize for 2021 will be the 34th in the award's history, although a 'Player of the Year' gong has existed since 1972, with the Manchester United Supporters' Club Player of the Year awarded until 1985, and a Sharp-sponsored version given out - both times to centre-back Paul McGrath - in 1986 and 1987.

Manchester United Supporters' Club Player of the Year

1971/72: Willie Morgan
1972/73: Willie Morgan
1973/74: Jim Holton
1974/75: Lou Macari
1975/76: Lou Macari
1976/77: Brian Greenhoff
1977/78: Steve Coppell
1978/79: Jimmy Greenhoff
1979/80: Joe Jordan
1980/81: Joe Jordan
1981/82: Ray Wilkins
1982/83: Bryan Robson
1983/84: Ray Wilkins
1984/85: Mark Hughes

Sharp Manchester United Player of the Year

1985/86: Paul McGrath
1986/87: Paul McGrath

The lost United Player of the Year winners article

Extensive research by the Museum finally provides recognition for a number of our stars from yesteryear.

Winners of the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award
 
1987/88: Brian McClair (Scotland)
1988/89: Bryan Robson (England)
1989/90: Gary Pallister (England)
1990/91: Mark Hughes (Wales)
1991/92: Brian McClair (Scotland)
1992/93: Paul Ince (England)
1993/94: Eric Cantona (France)
1994/95: Andrei Kanchelskis (Russia)
1995/96: Eric Cantona (France)
1996/97: David Beckham (England)
1997/98: Ryan Giggs (Wales)
1998/99: Roy Keane (Ireland)
1999/00: Roy Keane (Ireland)
2000/01: Teddy Sheringham (England)
2001/02: Ruud van Nistelrooy (the Netherlands)
2002/03: Ruud van Nistelrooy (the Netherlands)
2003/04: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2004/05: Gabriel Heinze (Argentina)
2005/06: Wayne Rooney (England)
2006/07: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2007/08: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2008/09: Nemanja Vidic (Serbia)
2009/10: Wayne Rooney (England)
2010/11: Javier Hernandez (Mexico)
2011/12: Antonio Valencia (Ecuador)
2012/13: Robin van Persie (the Netherlands)
2013/14: David De Gea (Spain)
2014/15: David De Gea (Spain)
2015/16: David De Gea (Spain)
2016/17: Ander Herrera (Spain)
2017/18: David De Gea (Spain)
2018/19: Luke Shaw (England)
2019/20: Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)
2020/21: Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)

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