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SFWA Manager of the Year


FieldValue
nameSFWA Manager of the Year
subheader
imageFile:O'Neill, Martin.jpg
image_size
captionMartin O'Neill won the award twice during his five seasons with Celtic
awarded_forThe outstanding manager in each given Scottish football season
countryScotland
presenterScottish Football Writers' Association
year1987
holder_labelManager of the Season
holderBrendan Rodgers
most_awardsWalter Smith (7)

The Scottish Football Writers' Association Manager of the Year (often called the SFWA Manager of the Year, or simply the Scottish Manager of the Year) award is given to the manager in Scottish football who is seen to have been the best manager of the previous season. The award is voted for by the members of the Scottish Football Writers' Association.

The award was first given in 1987, and was won by Dundee United boss Jim McLean. The award has been won by a manager in the top division of the Scottish football league system in all but two years, 1990, when the award went to Scotland manager Andy Roxburgh and 1995 when the award was given to Jimmy Nicholl who managed Raith Rovers in the First Division. There is a similar award made by PFA Scotland, the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year, which was first given in 2007. FORCETOC

List of winners

As of 2025, the award has been presented 39 times and won by 24 different managers. Walter Smith (7), Neil Lennon (3), Martin O'Neill (2), Dick Advocaat (2), Steve Clarke (2), Derek McInnes (2), Ange Postecoglou (2) and Brendan Rodgers (2) have won the award more than once. McInnes is the only manager to have won the award with more than one club.

SeasonManagerClubNotesRef
1986–87Dundee United
1987–88Celtic
1988–89Rangers
1989–90Scotland
1990–91St Johnstone
1991–92Rangers
1992–93Rangers
1993–94Rangers
1994–95Raith Rovers
1995–96Rangers
1996–97Rangers
1997–98Celtic
1998–99Rangers
1999–00Rangers
2000–01Celtic
2001–02Partick Thistle
2002–03Rangers
2003–04Celtic
2004–05Hibernian
2005–06Celtic
2006–07CelticAlso won the PFA Scotland awardurl=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/6615155.stmtitle=Nakamura gets top writers' prizepublisher=BBC Sportdate=2 May 2007access-date=12 May 2013}}
2007–08Rangers
2008–09Heart of Midlothian
2009–10RangersAlso won the PFA Scotland award
2010–11Kilmarnock
2011–12Celtic
2012–13Celtic
2013–14AberdeenAlso won the PFA Scotland awardurl=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aberdeen/10807943/Derek-McInnes-hits-the-heights-with-Aberdeen-after-suffering-pain-of-failure-at-Bristol-City.htmltitle=Derek McInnes hits the heights with Aberdeen after suffering pain of failure at Bristol Cityfirst=Roddylast=Forsythwork=Daily Telegraphpublisher=Telegraph Media Groupdate=4 May 2014accessdate=5 May 2014}}
2014–15Inverness Caledonian ThistleAlso won the PFA Scotland awardurl=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/john-hughes-still-inspired-by-tragic-craig-gowans-1-3781717first=Moiralast=Gordontitle=John Hughes still inspired by tragic Craig Gowanswork=Scotland on Sundaydate=23 May 2015accessdate=24 May 2015}}
2015–16Ross County
2016–17CelticAlso won the PFA Scotland award
2017–18Kilmarnock
2018–19KilmarnockAlso won the PFA Scotland award
2019–20Celtic
2020–21RangersAlso won the PFA Scotland award
2021–22CelticAlso won the PFA Scotland award
2022–23CelticAlso won the PFA Scotland award
2023–24Kilmarnock
2024–25Celtic

Winners by club

ClubNumber of winsWinning seasons
Celtic141987–88, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25
Rangers121988–89, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2002–03, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2020–21
Kilmarnock42010–11, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2023–24
Aberdeen12013–14
Dundee United11986–87
Heart of Midlothian12008–09
Hibernian12004–05
Inverness Caledonian Thistle12014–15
Raith Rovers11994–95
Ross County12015–16
Scotland national team11989–90
St Johnstone11990–91

References

References

  1. "MANAGER OF THE YEAR". [[Scottish Football Writers' Association.
  2. (2 May 2005). "Hartson wins writers' top prize". BBC Sport.
  3. (13 April 2006). "Strachan is writers' boss of year". BBC Sport.
  4. (2 May 2007). "Nakamura gets top writers' prize". BBC Sport.
  5. Forsyth, Roddy. (13 May 2009). "Csaba Laszlo gets second Scotland manager of the year award". Telegraph Media Group.
  6. (2 May 2010). "Davis crowned player of the year". BBC Sport.
  7. (15 May 2011). "More awards for Izaguirre, Goodwillie and Paatelainen". BBC Sport.
  8. Fisher, Stewart. (6 May 2012). "Title just the start for Lennon". Herald & Times Group.
  9. Smith, Andrew. (12 May 2013). "Lennon says winning manager of year 'a privilege'". Johnston Publishing.
  10. Forsyth, Roddy. (4 May 2014). "Derek McInnes hits the heights with Aberdeen after suffering pain of failure at Bristol City". Telegraph Media Group.
  11. Gordon, Moira. (23 May 2015). "John Hughes still inspired by tragic Craig Gowans". Scotland on Sunday.
  12. McArthur, Euan. (13 May 2016). "Paatelainen's fate not lost on McIntyre as Ross County manager counts his blessings". Herald & Times Group.
  13. (13 May 2018). "Steve Clarke wins SWFA Manager of the Year award". Kilmarnock FC.
  14. (9 May 2019). "SFWA Awards shortlist - Manager of the Year sponsored by William Hill - Dick Campbell, Steve Clarke, Gary Holt, Shelley Kerr. #SFWA #Footballwriters".
  15. (1 June 2020). "Shankland, Edouard, McGregor & Morelos in writers' award frame". BBC.
  16. (6 June 2020). "Neil Lennon is manager of the year". [[Scottish Football Writers' Association.
  17. (12 May 2021). "Steven Gerrard: Rangers boss wins Scottish writers' manager award". BBC.
  18. Alexander, Douglas. (8 May 2022). "Ange Postecoglou: Celtic needed a major rebuild but I've only scratched the surface". The Sunday Times.
  19. (27 May 2023). "Ange Postecoglou wins Manager of the Year". SFWA.
  20. (19 May 2024). "William Hill SFWA Manager of the Year award". SFWA.
  21. (17 May 2025). "Rodgers Lifts Boss Prize". SFWA.
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