![]() The trophy is a scaled-down replica of this statue of Sir Matt Busby outside Old Trafford | |
Sport | Association football |
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History | |
First award | 1988 |
Editions | 37 (as of 2024) |
First winner | ![]() |
Most wins | ![]() (4 times each) |
Most recent | ![]() |
The Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year, previously known as the MUFC Members Player of the Year (1988–1995), is an award presented to the Manchester United fans' player of the season. It is named after former Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby, who managed the club in two spells, from 1945 to 1969 and from 1970 to 1971. The award was renamed in his honour in 1996, following his death in 1994, and a new trophy was commissioned – a scaled-down replica of the statue of Busby at the east end of Old Trafford.
The first winner of the award was Brian McClair in 1988, who also became the first player to win it twice, having also won it in 1992. Since then, seven other players have won the award more than once, of which five have won it in consecutive seasons: Roy Keane (1999, 2000), Ruud van Nistelrooy (2002, 2003), Cristiano Ronaldo (2007, 2008), David de Gea (2014, 2015, 2016), and Bruno Fernandes (2020, 2021). Ronaldo's 2008 win made him the first player to receive the award three times, having also won in 2004. De Gea won the award in 2016 for the third consecutive year, becoming the second player after Ronaldo to do so, and the first in three consecutive seasons. De Gea won the award for a fourth time in 2018, the first player to do so, and Ronaldo joined him after winning his fourth in 2022.
Voting takes place towards the end of each season, usually in April, and is open to anyone who has an account on the club's official website. Voting was originally done by post until the 1994–95 season, when a phone voting system was introduced.[1] Postal voting forms were included in the club magazine, Inside United, and before that, voting was open only to members of the official supporters' club, who would receive a voting form in the post at the end of the season. Until the establishment of the official supporters' club, a separate award had been given by the members of its predecessor, the independent Manchester United Supporters Club.
Other end-of-season awards given by Manchester United include the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year Award, the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year Award, the Players' Player of the Year Award, and the Goal of the Season Award. Of these, the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year Award and the Players' Player of the Year Award are voted for by the players. The prizes for all five awards are given at an annual awards night, which is held near the end of the league season and broadcast live on the club's television channel, MUTV. A list of winners of the youth awards can be seen here.
Winners
[edit]![Head and shoulders of a man with greying hair.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/McClair%2C_Brian.jpg/220px-McClair%2C_Brian.jpg)
![The head and torso of a man with short, dark hair. He is wearing a red shirt.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/C_ronaldo_cropped.jpg/220px-C_ronaldo_cropped.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/David_de_Gea_2017.jpg/220px-David_de_Gea_2017.jpg)
Players in bold are still playing for Manchester United
Wins by player
[edit]Winner | Total wins | Year(s) |
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4 | 2004, 2007, 2008, 2022 |
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4 | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 |
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3 | 2020, 2021, 2024 |
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2 | 1988, 1992 |
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2 | 1994, 1996 |
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2 | 1999, 2000 |
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2 | 2002, 2003 |
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2 | 2006, 2010 |
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1 | 1989 |
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1 | 1990 |
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1 | 1991 |
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1 | 1993 |
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1 | 1995 |
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1 | 1997 |
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1 | 1998 |
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1 | 2001 |
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1 | 2005 |
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1 | 2009 |
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1 | 2011 |
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1 | 2012 |
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1 | 2013 |
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1 | 2017 |
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1 | 2019 |
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1 | 2023 |
Wins by playing position
[edit]Position | Number of wins |
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Goalkeeper | 4 |
Defender | 4 |
Midfielder | 15 |
Forward | 14 |
Wins by nationality
[edit]Nationality | Number of winners |
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9 |
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7 |
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5 |
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3 |
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2 |
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2 |
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2 |
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2 |
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1 |
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1 |
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1 |
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1 |
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1 |
Players' Player of the Year
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Butler, Cliff, ed. (2004). Manchester United Official Yearbook 1994. Manchester: Manchester United Football Club. p. 161.
- ^ a b c d e f Tuck, James (18 May 2011). "Fans honour Hernandez". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ^ "Legends: Mark Hughes". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- ^ "First team: Ryan Giggs". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d Bostock, Adam (4 May 2010). "Rooney wins club award treble". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ Bostock, Adam (15 May 2007). "MUTV Online: United awards". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ Bartram, Steve (11 May 2008). "Player of the Year awards". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ Hibbs, Ben (17 May 2009). "Vidic does the double". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "Fans honour Valencia". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
- ^ Tuck, James; Marshall, Adam (15 May 2013). "Van Persie wins fans' award". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
- ^ Froggatt, Mark (8 May 2014). "De Gea wins fans' award". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Froggatt, Mark (19 May 2015). "De Gea is Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
- ^ Higgins, Adam (3 May 2016). "David de Gea wins third successive Player of the Year award". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ Higgins, Adam (1 May 2018). "De Gea wins Player of the Year award". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- ^ Marshall, Adam (9 May 2019). "Shaw wins Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
- ^ Ganley, Joe (18 September 2020). "Fernandes voted Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- ^ Marshall, Adam (18 May 2021). "Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year revealed". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ Nelson, Joe (4 June 2022). "Ronaldo named United's Player of the Year". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ Ganley, Joe (29 May 2023). "Rashford voted United's Player of the Year". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ Marshall, Adam (23 May 2024). "Bruno crowned Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "United Players' Player of the Year award winners". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ Holt, Matthew (29 May 2023). "Marcus Rashford wins Players' Player of the Year". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ Ganley, Joe (23 May 2024). "Dalot wins Players' Player of the Year for 2023/24". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
External links
[edit]- Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Award at MUFCInfo.com
- All Player of the Year Winners at ManUtd.com