Ipswich Town F.C. Player of the Year

Ipswich Town Player of the Year
Sport Association football
History
First award 1973
Editions 50 (as of 2023)
First winner Kevin Beattie
Most wins John Wark
(4 times)
Most recent Conor Chaplin

The Ipswich Town Player of the Year award is voted for annually by Ipswich Town'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 either on-line or with one of the volunteers outside the stadium prior to a home game. The winner is the player who polls the most votes. The recipient is awarded a rosebowl trophy, presented at an awards ceremony immediately after one of the last home games of the season.

The inaugural award was made to Kevin Beattie in 1973 and he retained it the following season. Since then, four other players have won the award on more than one occasion: Terry Butcher and Matt Holland have received the honour twice, goalkeeper Bartosz Białkowski has won it three times, while John Wark has been presented with the award a record four times. Only one winner has gone on to manage the club full-time, George Burley, who won in 1977, although John Wark did act as joint caretaker-manager of the club with Paul Goddard for three matches in 1994.

Winners

Kevin Beattie wearing a dark jacket, a white shirt, and black-and-white polka dot tie
Kevin Beattie was the inaugural winner of the award.
John Wark, wearing a dark suit, a white shirt and a dark-blue tie, standing on the pitch at Portman Road
John Wark has won the award four times, the most of any Ipswich Town player.
Four men standing on a grass football pitch. The man second from left, wearing a grey top, white shorts and white socks, is holding a trophy above his head. Spectators wearing blue or black tops are visible in the background.
Fabian Wilnis, winner for the 2005–06 season, with the trophy.
Bartosz Białkowski won the award in three consecutive seasons from 2016 to 2018.
* Ipswich Town Hall of Fame Inductee
Player still on the playing staff of the club
Recipients of the Ipswich Town F.C. Player of the Year
Season Level Name Position Nationality International
caps
Notes
1973 1 Kevin Beattie* Defender England 9
1974 1 Kevin Beattie* Defender England 9
1975 1 Colin Viljoen Midfielder England 2
1976 1 Allan Hunter* Defender Northern Ireland 53
1977 1 George Burley* Defender Scotland 11
1978 1 Mick Mills* Defender England 42
1979 1 Arnold Mühren* Midfielder Netherlands 23
1980 1 Frans Thijssen* Midfielder Netherlands 14
1981 1 Paul Cooper* Goalkeeper England
1982 1 Alan Brazil* Striker Scotland 13
1983 1 Paul Mariner* Striker England 35
1984 1 Trevor Putney Midfielder England
1985 1 Terry Butcher* Defender England 77
1986 1 Terry Butcher* Defender England 77
1987 2 Romeo Zondervan Midfielder Netherlands 1
1988 2 Frank Yallop Defender Canada 52
1989 2 John Wark* Midfielder Scotland 29
1990 2 John Wark* Midfielder Scotland 29
1991 2 David Linighan Defender England
1992 2 John Wark* Midfielder Scotland 29
1993 1 Mick Stockwell* Midfielder England
1994 1 John Wark* Midfielder Scotland 29
1995 1 Craig Forrest Goalkeeper Canada 56
1996 2 Simon Milton* Midfielder England
1997 2 Mauricio Taricco Defender Argentina
1998 2 Matt Holland* Midfielder Republic of Ireland 49
1999 2 Jamie Clapham Defender England
2000 2 James Scowcroft Striker England
2001 1 Marcus Stewart Striker England
2002 1 Mark Venus Defender England
2003 2 Matt Holland* Midfielder Republic of Ireland 49
2004 2 Ian Westlake Midfielder England
2005 2 Shefki Kuqi Striker Finland 62
2006 2 Fabian Wilnis Defender Netherlands
2007 2 Sylvain Legwinski Midfielder France
2008 2 Jonathan Walters Striker Republic of Ireland 54
2009 2 Richard Wright Goalkeeper England 2
2010 2 Gareth McAuley Defender Northern Ireland 80
2011 2 Jimmy Bullard Midfielder England
2012 2 Aaron Cresswell Defender England 3
2013 2 Tommy Smith Defender New Zealand 50
2014 2 Christophe Berra Defender Scotland 41
2015 2 Daryl Murphy Striker Republic of Ireland 32
2016 2 Bartosz Białkowski Goalkeeper Poland 1
2017 2 Bartosz Białkowski Goalkeeper Poland 1
2018 2 Bartosz Białkowski Goalkeeper Poland 1
2019 2 Luke Chambers Defender England
2020 3 Not awarded
2021 3 James Wilson Defender Wales 1
2022 3 Wes Burns Midfielder Wales 6
2023 3 Conor Chaplin Forward England

Wins by playing position

Ipswich Town F.C. Player of the Year winners by playing position
Position Number of
winners
Goalkeeper 6
Defender 19
Midfielder 17
Striker 8

Wins by nationality

Ipswich Town F.C. Player of the Year winners by nationality
Nationality Number of
winners
England 22
Scotland 7
Ireland 4
Netherlands 4
Poland 3
Northern Ireland 2
Canada 2
Wales 2
Argentina 1
Finland 1
France 1
New Zealand 1

See also