Football Writers' Association

History

The choice to create the Football Writers' Association (FWA) was made on 22 September 1947 by journalists, Charles Buchan (News Chronicle), Frank Coles (Daily Telegraph), Roy Peskett (Daily Mail), and Archie Quick while aboard a boat in the middle of the English Channel that was returning from a football match in which England beat Belgium 5–2. Ivan Sharpe of the Sunday Chronicle was appointed chairman a month later, a position he held for the first six years of the FWA's existence and eight times in all in his long career. The men formalized a few of the newborn association's rules and regulations within one month. Some of the rules initially created were that membership to the FWA would be invitation only and that they would exclusively send invitations to "working journalists who are accredited football correspondents for newspapers and agencies." It was also determined that the Football Writers' Association's headquarters would be in London, England and the membership fee would be five guineas for the first year of membership with a recurring annual payment of two guineas each year after. Furthermore, the men had decided that there would be a vote held annually for all members that would decide the recipient of the prestigious Footballer of the Year Award, which is still today the oldest and most distinguished award given in the domestic game. The award was originally presented at the annual dinner, which was held on the night before the FA Cup Final, but was later changed to the Thursday preceding every FA Cup Final. To mark the FWA's 70th anniversary newly created Life Members of the association will now receive the Ivan Sharpe Life Membership Award, while in 2018, the FWA announced it was awarding a Woman's Footballer of the Year award in recognition of the growth of the woman's game in this country. ed

The Football Writers' Association today

The FWA has experienced steady growth since its inception in 1947. Membership has grown to about four-hundred members. Changes in modern journalism have welcomed a more diverse range of members. In recent years, the association has modernized itself by changing the voting process for Footballer of the Year by making online voting available to its members as well as incorporating social media into its revamped web site. The Football Writers' Association continues to recruit new members openly in the same manner as was created by its founders in 1947. On 24 April 2019, beIN Sports senior sports correspondent Carrie Brown was announced as the first female chair of the FWA.

The FWA Footballer of the Year Award

Charles Buchan, one of the founding fathers of the FWA, had originally suggested that there be an award presented "to the professional player who by precept and example is considered by a ballot of members to be the footballer of the year." The award is the oldest and is considered to be the most prestigious award in British football. The award is presented annually. The first player to receive the award was Sir Stanley Matthews in 1948. In 2018 the FWA introduced their award for the Woman Footballer of the Year in recognition of the growth of the woman's game.

Winners

The award has been presented on 71 occasions as of 2018, with 63 different winners. On one occasion two players shared the award for a season (1968–69). The table also indicates where the winning player also won one or more of the other major "player of the year" awards in English football, namely the Professional Footballers' Association's Players' Player of the Year award (PPY), Fans' Player of the Year award (FPY), and Young Player of the Year award (YPY).

The FWA Women's Footballer of the Year Award

In 2018, the FWA introduced their award for the Woman Footballer of the Year in recognition of the growth of the women's game.[[File:Fran_Kirby_Chelsea_Ladies_Vs_Arsenal_(cropped).jpg|thumb|212x212px|Inaugural winner [[Fran Kirby]]]]The award has been presented on one occasion as of 2018, with one winner. The table also indicates where the winning player also won one or more of the other major "player of the year" awards in English football, namely the PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year award (PPY), and the PFA Women's Young Player of the Year award (YPY).

The FWA Tribute Award

Main article: FWA Tribute Award

The Football Writers' Association Tribute Award is presented annually every January at the Savoy Hotel to the individual that the committee believes to have contributed to the national game in a significant way. The award was first given in 1983 to Ron Greenwood.

References

References

1. "About | Football Writers' Association".
2. (24 April 2019). "CARRIE BROWN BECOMES FIRST FEMALE CHAIRMAN OF THE FWA". Football Writers' Association.
3. "The Football Writer's Association".
4. (4 October 2007). "England – Players Awards". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
5. (20 April 2001). "Only here for the peers". BBC.
6. (23 April 2006). "Gerrard named player of the year". BBC.
7. (22 April 2007). "Ronaldo secures PFA awards double". BBC.
8. "PFA's Official Fan's Player of the Year: Previous Winners". The Professional Footballers' Association.
9. Frank Keogh. (20 April 2001). "Too much too young?". BBC.
10. First winner of the award from outside the [[United Kingdom]].
11. First player to win the award twice.
12. First player to win the award with two different clubs.
13. Also won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in 1976 to become the first player to win both awards.
14. First player to win both PFA and FWA awards in the same season.
15. First player to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
16. (6 May 2005). "Lampard scoops award from writers". BBC.
17. First player to win the award three times.
18. First player to win four awards in the same season.
19. (13 May 2009). "Steven Gerrard wins Footballer of the Year award". The Times.
20. (30 April 2010). "Wayne Rooney nets writers' player of the year award". BBC.
21. (22 April 2011). "West Ham's Scott Parker wins Football Writers' award". BBC.
22. (24 April 2012). "Arsenal's Robin van Persie named FWA Footballer of the Year". BBC.
23. (2 May 2013). "Bale named FWA Footballer of the Year". Football Writers' Association.
24. (16 May 2014). "Suarez humbled by FWA accolade". Football Writers' Association.
25. (12 May 2015). "Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard is the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year 2015". Football Writers' Association.
26. (1 May 2016). "Jamie Vardy voted FWA Footballer of the Year 2016". Football Writers' Association.
27. (8 May 2017). "N'Golo Kante is Footballer of the Year". Football Writers' Association.
28. (May 2018). "BREAKING – MO SALAH IS FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR {{!}} Football Writers' Association".
29. (29 April 2019). "STERLING AND PARRIS AT THE DOUBLE IN FWA AWARDS {{!}} Football Writers' Association".
30. (24 July 2020). "JORDAN HENDERSON – FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR {{!}} Football Writers' Association".
31. "Ruben Dias - the Footballer of the Year{{!}} Football Writers' Association".
32. (29 April 2022). "Mohamed Salah named Football Writers' Association Men's Footballer of the Year for 2021/22".
33. "Erling Haaland: Why FWA Footballer of the Year award had to go to Manchester City’s unique scoring phenomenon".
34. (19 June 2007). "England Player Honours – Professional Footballers' Association Players' Players of the Year". England Football Online.
35. (24 April 2018). "Fran Kirby is FWA Women's Footballer of the Year {{!}} Football Writers' Association".
36. (29 April 2019). "FWA Footballer of the Year 2019: Raheem Sterling wins Football Writers' award ahead of Virgil van Dijk {{!}} Independent".
37. "Vivianne Miedema: Arsenal & Netherlands striker named FWA Women's Footballer of Year - BBC Sport". BBC Sport.
38. (July 2020). "Vivianne Miedema is Women's Footballer of the Year {{!}} Football Writers' Association".
39. (14 May 2021). "FRAN KIRBY IS WOMEN'S FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR {{!}} Football Writers' Association".
40. (29 April 2022). "Sam Kerr awarded FWA Women's Footballer of the Year". Chelsea F.C..
41. "Erling Haaland named Football Writers' Association Men's Footballer of the Year for 2022/23 {{!}} Chelsea's Sam Kerr wins Women's award".