View source for PFAI Players' Player of the Year

{{Short description|Award}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
[[Image:Farrenmark.JPG|thumb|200px|[[Mark Farren]] won the award in 2005.]]
The '''Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Players' Player of the Year''' (often called the '''PFAI Players' Player of the Year''', the '''Players' Player of the Year''', or simply the '''Irish Player of the Year''') award is given to the footballer the [[League of Ireland Premier Division]], who is seen to have been the best player of the previous season.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/ierpoy.html Ireland – Player of the Year and Other Awards]</ref>
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 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 A.F.C.|Athlone Town]] player [[Padraig O'Connor]]. The latest winner of the award is [[Dylan Watts]] of [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]].
==List of winners==
''Highlighted players are winning the award for a second time.''
===2020s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year!!Player!!Club
|-
| width="50px"| [[2024 League of Ireland Premier Division|2024]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Dylan Watts]] || width="175px" | [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2023 League of Ireland Premier Division|2023]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Chris Forrester]] || width="175px" | [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2022 League of Ireland Premier Division|2022]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Rory Gaffney]] || width="175px" | [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2021 League of Ireland Premier Division|2021]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Georgie Kelly]] || width="175px" | [[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemians]]
|-
|- bgcolor=#FFF60F
| width="50px"| [[2020 League of Ireland Premier Division|2020]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Jack Byrne (footballer, born 1996)|Jack Byrne]] || width="175px" | [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]
|}
===2010s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year!!Player!!Club
|-
| width="50px"| [[2019 League of Ireland Premier Division|2019]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Jack Byrne (footballer, born 1996)|Jack Byrne]] || width="175px" | [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2018 League of Ireland Premier Division|2018]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Michael Duffy (footballer)|Michael Duffy]] || width="175px" | [[Dundalk F.C.|Dundalk]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2017 League of Ireland Premier Division|2017]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Sean Maguire (footballer)|Sean Maguire]] || width="175px" | [[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2016 League of Ireland Premier Division|2016]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Daryl Horgan]] || width="175px" | [[Dundalk F.C.|Dundalk]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2015 League of Ireland Premier Division|2015]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Richie Towell]] || width="175px" | [[Dundalk F.C.|Dundalk]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2014 League of Ireland Premier Division|2014]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Chris Fagan (Irish footballer)|Christy Fagan]] || width="175px" | [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2013 League of Ireland Premier Division|2013]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Killian Brennan]] || width="175px" | [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2012 League of Ireland Premier Division|2012]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Mark Quigley]] || width="175px" | [[Sligo Rovers F.C.|Sligo Rovers]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2011 League of Ireland Premier Division|2011]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|Libya}} [[Éamon Zayed]] || width="175px" | [[Derry City F.C.|Derry City]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2010 League of Ireland Premier Division|2010]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Richie Ryan (footballer)|Richie Ryan]] || width="175px" | [[Sligo Rovers F.C.|Sligo Rovers]]
|}
===2000s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year!!Player!!Club
|-
| width="50px"| [[2009 League of Ireland Premier Division|2009]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Gary Twigg]] || width="175px" | [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2008 League of Ireland Premier Division|2008]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Keith Fahey]] || width="175px"| [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2007 League of Ireland Premier Division|2007]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Brian Shelley]] || width="175px"| [[Drogheda United F.C.|Drogheda United]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2006 League of Ireland Premier Division|2006]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|CMR}} [[Joseph N'Do]] || width="175px"| [[Shelbourne F.C.|Shelbourne]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2005 League of Ireland Premier Division|2005]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Mark Farren]] || width="175px"| [[Derry City F.C.|Derry City]]
|- bgcolor=#FFF60F
| width="50px"| '''[[2004 League of Ireland Premier Division|2004]]''' || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} '''[[Jason Byrne (footballer)|Jason Byrne]]''' || width="175px"| '''[[Shelbourne F.C.|Shelbourne]]'''
|-
| width="50px"| [[2003 League of Ireland Premier Division|2003]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Jason Byrne (footballer)|Jason Byrne]] || width="175px"| [[Shelbourne F.C.|Shelbourne]]
|- bgcolor=#FFF60F
| width="50px"| '''[[2002–03 League of Ireland Premier Division|2003]]''' || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} '''[[Glen Crowe]]''' || width="175px"| '''[[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemians]]'''
|-
| width="50px"| [[2001–02 League of Ireland Premier Division|2002]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Owen Heary]] || width="175px"| [[Shelbourne F.C.|Shelbourne]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[2000–01 League of Ireland Premier Division|2001]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Glen Crowe]] || width="175px"| [[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemians]]
|- bgcolor=#FFF60F
| width="50px"| '''[[1999–2000 League of Ireland Premier Division|2000]]''' || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} '''[[Pat Fenlon]]''' || width="175px"| '''[[Shelbourne F.C.|Shelbourne]]'''
|}
===1990s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year!!Player!!Club
|-
| width="50px"| [[1998–99 League of Ireland Premier Division|1999]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Paul Osam]] || width="175px"| [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1997–98 League of Ireland Premier Division|1998]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Pat Scully]] || width="175px"| [[Shelbourne F.C.|Shelbourne]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1996–97 League of Ireland Premier Division|1997]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Peter Hutton (footballer)|Peter Hutton]] || width="175px"| [[Derry City F.C.|Derry City]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1995–96 League of Ireland Premier Division|1996]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Eddie Gormley]] || width="175px"| [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1994–95 League of Ireland Premier Division|1995]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Liam Coyle (footballer, born 1968)|Liam Coyle]] || width="175px"| [[Derry City F.C.|Derry City]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1993–94 League of Ireland Premier Division|1994]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Stephen Geoghegan]] || width="175px"| [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1992–93 League of Ireland Premier Division|1993]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} Donal O'Brien|| width="175px"| [[Derry City F.C.|Derry City]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1991–92 League of Ireland Premier Division|1992]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Pat Fenlon]] || width="175px"| [[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemians]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1990–91 League of Ireland Premier Division|1991]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Pat Morley (footballer)|Pat Morley]] || width="175px"| [[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1989–90 League of Ireland Premier Division|1990]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} Mark Ennis || width="175px"| [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
|}
===1980s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year!!Player!!Club
|- bgcolor=#FFF60F
| width="50px"| '''[[1988–89 League of Ireland Premier Division|1989]]''' || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} '''[[Paul Doolin]]''' || width="175px"| '''[[Derry City F.C.|Derry City]]'''
|-
| width="50px"| [[1987–88 League of Ireland Premier Division|1988]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} Paddy Dillon || width="175px"| [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1986–87 League of Ireland Premier Division|1987]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Mick Byrne (Irish footballer)|Mick Byrne]] || width="175px"| [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1985–86 League of Ireland Premier Division|1986]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Paul Doolin]] || width="175px"| [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1984–85 League of Ireland|1985]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Tommy Gaynor]] || width="175px"| [[Limerick F.C.|Limerick City]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1983–84 League of Ireland|1984]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Pat Byrne (footballer)|Pat Byrne]] || width="175px"| [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1982–83 League of Ireland|1983]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Martin Murray (footballer)|Martin Murray]] ||width="175px"| [[Drogheda United F.C.|Drogheda United]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1981–82 League of Ireland|1982]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Paul McGrath (footballer)|Paul McGrath]] || width="175px"| [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]
|-
| width="50px"| [[1980–81 League of Ireland|1981]] || width="175px" | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Padraig O'Connor]] || width="175px"| [[Athlone Town A.F.C.|Athlone Town]]
|}
==Breakdown of winners==
===Winners by club===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Club!!Number of wins
|- bgcolor=#FFF60F
| width="200px"| '''[[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]''' || '''9 (1982, 1988, 1990, 1996, 1999, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2023)'''
|- bgcolor=#FFF60F
| width="200px"| '''[[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]''' || '''9 (1984, 1986, 1987, 1994, 2009, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024)'''
|-
| [[Derry City F.C.|Derry City]] || width="250px"| 6 (1989, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2011)
|-
| [[Shelbourne F.C.|Shelbourne]] || width="250px"| 6 (1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006)
|-
| [[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemians]] || 4 (1992, 2001, 2003, 2021)
|-
| [[Dundalk F.C.|Dundalk]] || 3 (2015, 2016, 2018)
|-
| [[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]] || 2 (1991, 2017)
|-
| [[Sligo Rovers F.C.|Sligo Rovers]] || 2 (2010, 2012)
|-
| [[Drogheda United F.C.|Drogheda United]] || 2 (1983, 2007)
|-
| [[Limerick F.C.|Limerick]] || 1 (1985)
|-
| [[Athlone Town A.F.C.|Athlone Town]] || 1 (1981)
|}
===Winners by country===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Country!!Number of wins
|- bgcolor=#FFF60F
| width="200px"| {{flagicon|IRE}} '''[[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]]''' || width="1000px"| '''39 (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, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)'''
|-
| {{fb|Northern Ireland}} || 2 (1995, 1997)
|-
| {{fb|Cameroon}} || 1 (2006)
|-
| {{fb|Scotland}} || 1 (2009)
|-
| {{fb|Libya}} || 1 (2011)
|}
==See also==
*[[PFAI Young Player of the Year]]
*[[PFAI Team of the Year]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.pfai.ie/ Professional Footballers Association of Ireland]
{{League of Ireland Premier Division}}
{{PFAI Players' Player of the Year}}
{{PFAI awards}}
{{National Footballer of the Year}}
[[Category:Republic of Ireland association football trophies and awards|Ireland, PFAI Professional Footballers Association of Ireland Player of the Year]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1981]]
[[Category:1981 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Annual events in Ireland]]
[[Category:League of Ireland players| ]]
[[Category:League of Ireland Premier Division]]
[[Category:Association football player non-biographical articles]]