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Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year

Football award

Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year

Summary

Football award

[[Tom Pope]], the only player to win the award three times.
The 2011 winner, [[John McCombe]].
[[Mark Grew]], winner in 1989 and 1992.
[[Martin Foyle]], winner in 1995 and 1999.
Sam Collins]] won the award in 2003, after 49 appearances in 2002–03.
Anthony Griffith]] won the award in 2010, having gained popularity for his 'tigerish displays'.

The Port Vale Player of the Year award is voted for annually by Port Vale's supporters in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season. Towards the end of each season, fans are invited to cast their votes for this award.

The inaugural award was made to Roy Sproson in 1967 and became an annual event from Ron Wilson's victory in 1969. David Harris (1974 and 1977), Ray Walker (1988 and 1991), Mark Grew (1989 and 1992), Neil Aspin (1990 and 1994), Martin Foyle (1995 and 1999), Nathan Smith (2017 and 2023) and Ben Garrity (2022 and 2024) have all won two awards during their time at Vale Park. Aspin and Foyle also went on to manage the club, whilst Grew spent three spells as caretaker manager. Tom Pope is the only player to win the award thrice, winning in 2013, 2014 and 2018. Eamonn O'Keefe and Anthony Griffith represented Ireland and Montserrat respectively at international level, though both players were born in England. After receiving his first award in April 2013, Tom Pope stated, "To be voted for by the fans like this is a massive honour for me. It means such a lot, more than the other [PFA] awards I've been lucky enough to win." Midfielders are more commonly rewarded, claiming 20 wins.

The current holder is midfielder Ryan Croasdale, following his consistent performances throughout the 2024–25 season.

Winners

YearLevelNamePositionNationalityReferenceNotes
19674Defenderlast=Kentfirst=Jefftitle=The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Valepublisher=Witan Booksyear=1990isbn=0-9508981-4-7page=305}}
19694Defender
19704Midfielder
19713Striker
19723Striker
19733Striker
19743Defender
19753Goalkeeper
19763Midfielder
19773Defender
19783Striker
19794Striker
19804Midfielder
19814Midfielder
19824Striker
19834Defender
19843Striker
19854Defender
19864Goalkeeper
19873Striker
19883Midfielder
19893Goalkeeper
19902Defender
19912Midfielder
19922Goalkeeper
19933Midfielder
19943Defender
19952Striker
19962Midfielder
19972Striker
19982Midfielder
19992Striker
20002Midfielder
20013Midfielder
20023Goalkeeper
20033Defender
20043Striker
20053Strikerurl=http://www.port-vale.co.uk/page/PortValeVolunteers/0,,10381~2060238,00.htmltitle=Player of the Year Awardsdate=10 May 2011work=port-vale.co.ukaccess-date=24 October 2011url-status=deadarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609230455/http://www.port-vale.co.uk/page/PortValeVolunteers/0%2C%2C10381~2060238%2C00.htmlarchive-date=9 June 2012df=dmy-all}}
20063Defender
20073Striker
20083Midfielder
20094Goalkeeper
20104Midfielder
20114Defenderurl=http://www.port-vale.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10381~2356317,00.htmltitle=Player of the Year Awards 2011access-date=9 May 2011date=9 May 2011work=port-vale.co.ukurl-status=deadarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320100626/http://www.port-vale.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10381~2356317%2C00.htmlarchive-date=20 March 2012df=dmy-all}}
20124Midfielder
20134Striker
20143Striker
20153Midfielder
20163Midfielder
20173Defender
20184Striker
20194Goalkeeper
20204Midfielder
20214Midfielder
20224Midfielderlast1=Mounteneyfirst1=Luketitle=Player of the Year Awards 2021/22 The Winnersurl=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2022/june/player-of-the-year-awards-202122--the-winners/access-date=13 June 2022work=Port Vale F.C.date=13 June 2022language=en-gb}}
20233Defendertitle=22/23 Player of the Year Nathan Smithurl=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2023/may/2223-player-of-the-year--nathan-smith/access-date=17 May 2023work = Port Vale F.C.date=16 May 2023language=en-gb}}
20243Midfielder
20254Midfielder

Wins by playing position

PositionNumber of
winners
Midfielder21
Striker17
Defender13
Goalkeeper7

Wins by nationality

NationalityNumber of
winners
48
3
3
2
1
1

Footnotes

A. For ease of reading, the complexities of the frequent renaming of the various divisions have been simplified to a number, reflecting the official "Level" of competition in the English league system. For more information see English football league system#Structure.

B. For a full description of positions, see Association football positions.

C. Inaugural winner.

D. Second award.

E. First non-British winner.

F. Multiple winners are counted multiple times.

G. Third award.

References

;General

;Specific

References

  1. (30 April 2013). "Hot-shot Tom Pope rewarded for a stellar season with home-town club". [[The Sentinel (Staffordshire).
  2. Kent, Jeff. (1990). "The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale". Witan Books.
  3. {{harvnb. Kent. 2010
  4. {{harvnb. Kent. 2010
  5. {{harvnb. Kent. 2010
  6. {{harvnb. Kent. 2010
  7. Hayes, Dean. (1998). "Port Vale Football Club: An A-Z". Sigma Leisure.
  8. (11 August 2017). "When Ainsworth fired Port Vale to double over Manchester City". Stoke Sentinel.
  9. (26 May 2019). "This is the OVF viewers all-time Port Vale XI". onevalefan.co.uk.
  10. (27 January 2012). "Widdo: I'm Captain because I'm mouthy". onevalefan.co.uk.
  11. "David Brammer". crewealex.net/.
  12. (17 November 2004). "Player of the Year Announced". port-vale.co.uk.
  13. (17 November 2004). "It's a clean sweep as Super Sam is Top Man". port-vale.co.uk.
  14. (17 November 2004). "Player of the Year Awards". port-vale.co.uk.
  15. (10 May 2011). "Player of the Year Awards". port-vale.co.uk.
  16. (5 May 2006). "Awards". port-vale.co.uk.
  17. (30 April 2008). "Player of the Year". port-vale.co.uk.
  18. (27 April 2009). "Player of the Year- Winners". Port Vale F.C..
  19. Owen, Jon. (12 May 2010). "Port Vale: Griffith takes home top accolade". The Sentinel.
  20. (9 May 2011). "Player of the Year Awards 2011". port-vale.co.uk.
  21. (2 May 2012). "Loft grateful for award success". [[The Sentinel (Staffordshire).
  22. (29 April 2013). "Tom Pope wins player-of-the-year award". [[The Sentinel (Staffordshire).
  23. Baggaley, Mike. (5 May 2014). "Tom Pope named Port Vale player of the year". [[The Sentinel (Staffordshire).
  24. Baggaley, Mike. (3 May 2015). "Michael O'Connor dominates Vale's awards night". [[The Sentinel (Staffordshire).
  25. (8 May 2016). "Anthony Grant wins prestigious Supporters' Club award". The Sentinel.
  26. (2 May 2017). "Port Vale's player of year Smith philosophical about future". Stoke Sentinel.
  27. (28 April 2018). "Tom Pope makes history at Port Vale player of the year awards". Stoke Sentinel.
  28. (28 April 2019). "Player Awards Night 2018/19". Port Vale F.C..
  29. (28 August 2020). "End of season awards for 2019/20". Port Vale F.C..
  30. (8 May 2021). "Port Vale player-of-the-year awards winners as trophies are handed out". StokeonTrentLive.
  31. (13 June 2022). "Player of the Year Awards 2021/22 {{!}} The Winners". Port Vale F.C..
  32. (16 May 2023). "22/23 Player of the Year {{!}} Nathan Smith". Port Vale F.C..
  33. (16 July 2024). "2023/24 Player of the Year {{!}} Ben Garrity {{!}} Port Vale FC". Port Vale FC.
  34. (9 April 2025). "Ryan Croasdale is multiple winner at end of season awards". onevalefan.co.uk.
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