Everyone has got an opinion on who they think has been their club’s Player of the Season; football is a game of opinions after all. You might be torn between one or two players, or you might disagree completely with the wider choice. Or your club might’ve had a torrid season and you think none of them deserve the accolade. Everyone’s got their own opinion.
So to discover who really are each club’s POTS’s I decided to get in touch with those who dedicate large parts of their lives to creating content on their beloved clubs. The fan-made content creators!
Now FanHub has a lot of content creators involved already, but we always want more. If you’re a content creator reading this then why not get involved? The application form is right here.
For those club’s that I struggled to get content creators on board for, then I’ve involved some pure, brilliant fans.
If you agree or disagree with these choices then let us know below!
Let’s go…
Arsenal – Bukayo Saka
A season of chaos again for Arsenal as they struggled to make any real attempt tp challenge for the top five.Arsenal YouTuber creator ‘The Gooner Express‘ chose the youngster as his POTS and here’s why:
‘My Arsenal player of the season is our Starboy, the little chilli, Bukayo Saka. At only 19 years of age, he’s already tearing up the premier league, scoring 7 and assisting 10, he’s been the driving force for our attack this season. He’s been relied on week in week out by the manager and fans and he consistently performs. The fact that we rely on a 19 year old to carry us through a tough season gives me no doubt that he should be Arsenal’s player of the season.’
Aston Villa – Emiliano Martinez
A season of ups and downs for Villa as they finished 11th in the Premier League. Though it was a significantly better season than the one before it. Many will say if Jack Grealish had stayed fit then they would’ve been challenging like West Ham. I spoke to Neil from across the Irish Sea for the Villa nomination. He’s from the Ireland based podcast, ‘For The Love of Paul McGrath‘.
‘The best use of 20 million euros ever, Dean Smith and the brain trust will not look back at that price tag with any regrets. His 15 clean sheets at the time writing, equals Brad Friedels 09/10 record for clean sheets in a Premier League season but the un-written value is seen in the calming, dependability he brings to a defence that conceded the second highest goals against tally last season.
His performances against Brighton, Everton and Wolves just to name a few were as good a display of shot stopping and reflexes as I’ve ever seen a Villa goalkeeper display and undoubtedly over the course of the season he has won us points on his own. One of his key traits is his confidence in catching shots and not having to punch or parry to safety. His distribution has been critical for Villa this season also and he has been trusted to play deft mid range passes to the wings to start attacks.
It is great to see him perform so admirably after doing his almost 10 year apprenticeship at Arsenal and Villa have reaped the benefits after giving him the starting shirt, a decision that has seen him become arguably the best pure shot stopper in the league. It’s been a superb first season for Martinez at Villa park and here’s to a long and prosperous future with the club as we build through the next few years.’
Brighton – Yves Bissouma
It wasn’t the most convincing season for the south coast side, but despite their 16th place finish they’ve actually had many star performances. Scott from the ‘We Are Brighton‘ site picks his one POTS though.
‘In recent seasons the winner of Brighton’s Player of the Year has always been startling obvious. Not this time though, as any one of Lewis Dunk, Robert Sanchez, Ben White, Adam Webster, Joel Veltman or Solly March would be worthy winners. My vote though would go to Yves Bissouma. He has matured from a talented yet inconsistent player into one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. An absolute joy to watch and fully deserving of the mega money move he surely makes this summer to one of the world’s biggest clubs.’
Burnley – Nick Pope
They might’ve finished 17th, but Burnley were never in real danger of the drop. They’ve had a few standouts this season, players such as Ashley Westwood, and Chris Wood, however Matt from the ‘No Nay Never‘ podcast chose the other familiar name.
‘There have been stand out performances all over the park at different times this season, but our 1 constant (barring a couple of games out injured) has been Nick Pope in goal. He has been immense at times this season, consistently good at his job, pulling off some outstanding reaction stops and able to come and collect crosses and corners and command his area.
He impressed in the Easter qualifiers when Pickford was injured & was quite rightly giving Southgate a selection headache ahead of the Euros until news broke on the final day of the season that he required minor knee surgery and may not recover in time for the tournament. This is a real shame for him, however I personally didn’t see Southgate dropping Pickford for the Euros and so it may be a blessing in disguise giving Pope a proper break and full pre-season and may even be enough to help us hold onto him.’
Chelsea – Mason Mount
4th place and a Champions League and FA Cup final, Tommy Tuchel’s Chelsea have had a solid season. They’ll be disappointed to not be a bit closer to the title though. Rob from ‘The Chelsea Social‘ gives us the key info on their key man.
‘Although this selection will bizarrely annoy a small selection of football social media – shout out to you – there is only one choice for Chelsea’s Player of the Season: Mason Mount. Our homegrown star has kicked onto another level this season and although 17 goal contributions in 53 appearances might not scream POTY, he’s been brilliant throughout. Energy, impetus, ball progression, astute passing and attack positioning. He’s come on leaps and bounds in 2 years and is now first name on Chelsea’s team sheet and one of the first for England too.’
Crystal Palace – Vicente Guaita
A season of frustration for Palace fans, and for Roy Hodgson as he has announced his departure from the club. The 14th place finish saw them well clear of the drop zone, but they never looked like breaking further up the table. I spoke to Nick from the ‘Red and Blue Review‘ who chose the Palace keeper.
‘This is the guy that ousted the Welsh number one Wayne Hennessy. The job of filling the boots of club legend Julian Speroni was always thought to be Hennessy, but given his chance Guaita has made a series of fantastic saves during this campaign keeping us in many matches and certainly assisting our points tally towards safety.’
Everton – Ben Godfrey
Everton fans will be slightly dismayed at only finishing 10th under Carlo Ancelotti, however, good things come to those who wait (or they go back to Real Madrid). I spoke to Mike from the ‘Unholy Trinity Podcast‘ for the views on the Everton POTS, and I must say I was a slightly surprised by the choice!
‘Player of the season for us was a toss up between two players. The obvious choice is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who to date has scored 21 goals and broken into the England squad in time for the Euros. His development over the last 18 months has been exceptional.The man who’s beaten him though, is Ben Godfrey, for the sheer fact that he’s been brilliant, wherever he has played, and developed into a player who has to start every week. Athletic, quick, strong and loves a tackle. Exactly the kind of player we needed and someone who is only going to get better. A shout for England in the summer.’
Fulham – Harrison Reed
Fulham’s relegation back to the Championship felt inevitable unfortunately, they’ll need to rework their squad a little if they intend on consolidating their position in the top flight. The ‘HammyEnd.com‘ is a dedicated Fulham website and I spoke to writer Louis.
‘HammyEnd’s Fulham player of the season is the ever-consistent Harrison Reed. The box-to-box player has shown his commitment every game in the historic white shirt this season, building on a strong start last year. Now, he has truly cemented his status as a vital part of the side. However, the tireless midfield maestro was run close by Alphonse Areola and Joachim Andersen. The high-profile loan stars have been tipped for bigger things after a dependable season season in an underperforming Fulham side.’
Leeds United – Stuart Dallas
A 9th place finish upon their return to the Premier League? Sane Leeds’ fans would have bitten your hand off for that. A great season was had for the exciting Yorkshire side, and they’ve got one of the hottest strikers in the league right now but Joe from ‘All Stats Aren’t We‘ didn’t pick Paddy Bamford, he picked their versatile star.
‘The Northern Ireland international had an exceptional first season in the Premier League to say the least. After beginning the season at left-back, he was drafted in to central midfield to play a unique man-marking/zonal hybrid role in a complex system designed to ameliorate Leeds’ poor defensive record early on in the season. With 8 goals to his name he is Leeds’ second highest scorer for the season. His memorable brace at the Etihad, alongside his fantastic team contribution throughout the year, proves he is far more than just a utility man.’
Leicester City – Youri Tielemans
Despite dropping out of the top four on the last day of the season, Leicester fans will be happy with the season. It felt like another year of progression under Rodgers. I spoke to Josh from the SPORTSA YouTube channel, and I was slightly surprised to see this lad picked. To the wider football world he goes quite under-the-radar, but the Foxes have loved him since he joined and Josh is no different.
‘I would say Youri Tielemans. First of all for the incredible goal to win us the FA Cup. But this season he’s been instrumental in the midfield and really made us tick. The real heartbeat of the team and the quality he displays as well has been incredible.’
Liverpool – Mo Salah
A season of three thirds for Liverpool, who started okay, then fell into dismal form before ending the season in electric fashion. For our Liverpool content creator I spoke to the geographically named ‘The Southerner Scouser’. He’s one of the co-hosts on the Red Sea Podcast, and he gave the answer many of us would’ve expected.
‘Mo Salah – In a season where Liverpool have really struggled due to a combination of injuries and poor form, Salah has still been at his constant best. Hoping to be top scorer in the league for the third time in four seasons, Salah has carried the reds at times this season and once again proved he is completely priceless to his team. He truly is world class and Reds fans will hope FSG will provide some much welcomed reinforcements this summer to assist Mo in returning LFC back to the top!’
Manchester City – Ruben Dias
City marched to the title in very ‘Man City’ style as they swept the floor with the rest of the Premier League. The Citizens will be delighted to be back as the top team in England, despite losing the Champions League final to Chelsea. Man City fan Callum Chambers (@CalChambers24) chose the Portuguese centre half.
‘Goes without saying, our right hand side of defence had been the weakest for a couple of years, Kompany left, it was Otamendi and Stones – 2017/18 was a great season for them but after that they were never the same. Laporte came in, fantastic signing but still no Kompany replacement. Rumours were Koulibaly, Varane and the relatively unknown Dias – In terms of centre backs, he wouldn’t have been the first choice for me and for the price tag? £60 million?! It was a risk.
But he’s come in and shown why he was worth every penny, leadership, strength, intelligence, tackling, ball playing he’s got the lot. Most importantly he has brought great belief and trust amongst the players around him, something we’ve missed without Vinnie. The Stones/Dias combo is irreplaceable, the friendship they’ve got off the field helps on it and it’s visible for all. They celebrate tackles, blocks, solid defensive work, refreshing to see nowadays players showing proper passion for the defensive side of the game.
You have to remember it’s Dias’ first season in English football and he’s taken to it like a duck to water, he’s not been phased by being a new lad, it’s like he’s been at the club years’ which is why he’s become a fan favourite already and why he’s my player of the season.’
Manchester United – Bruno Fernandes
Man United’s second place finish might’ve ended up being 12 points behind their neighbouring champions, but it will still be classed as a positive year. The north-west side showed an increased level consistency than in previous years under Ole, and their spark came from a very trusted source. Said ‘source’ is who Sam, a United fan, chose as his POTS.
‘Since he joined the club he’s been a revelation. He’s the perfect addition to the midfield and he gives us a spark in every game. 18 goals from midfield in the Premier League is a phenomenal stat, but it’s not just the statistics that he has succeeded in. He provides an excellent driving force to the squad with his runs and dribbling ability. Add on top of that an insane technical passing ability and vision for through-balls, and suddenly you have one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. Thats without discussing his natural goal-scoring ability too.
The way he’s performed for us over last season shows he’s not just a flash in the pan either. He’s one of the world’s elite players.’
Newcastle United – Federico Fernandez
Another strange season for the Toon as they finish in 12th, despite the understandable unrest within the supporters ranks. Samantha from the ‘Howay The Lasses‘ podcast gave me a slightly surprising choice as their POTS.
‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man and that man for me is Federico Fernandez. A rock at the heart of what can be described as a terrible defence. Cool, calm and collected, battled covid to be our CB with the most appearances, tackles and blocks. Sign him back up and give him the armband.’
Sheffield United – David McGoldrick
This season has been far from ideal for the Blades as they went down rock bottom and barely put up a whimper, but Jonny from ‘The Shoreham View‘ tried his best for us!
‘He’s only real player who has really consistently performed this season! Some players have improved at times, others have shown glimpses of last season. But our top scorer and Rolls Royce despite his advancing years has shown why he is integral to the tram not only at the top of the park but also in terms of work ethic and footballing talent. The shining star in a septic tank of a season!’
Southampton – James Ward-Prowse
Despite their great start to the campaign, Southampton fell away as the season went on and finished up in a mediocre 15th position. There were a few key players throughout the season though, and Saints fan Steve tells us who he thought to be POTS.
‘James Ward-Prowse had another stellar season in our midfield, and deservedly won his first England international call ups. He wears the armband with pride and once again played every single game for the Saints. His technical ability his sublime and he’s super deadly from those dead ball situations. He deserves to play for a top six club, but I’m hoping he’ll stay for a good while longer.’
Tottenham Hotspur – Harry Kane
A season that saw another year pass without a trophy, also saw Jose Mourinho leave the club. I spoke to Mike from ‘The Spurs Show’, as he told me about their main man. It’ll be a disaster for Spurs if he does leave this season, though potentially the power vacuum left behind could help the club progress into the next phase.
‘His record in a mediocre season is extraordinary. His goals and assist tally is up there with the worlds best. If as the mainstream sports media are to be believed is his final season, I was privileged to witness the greatest Spurs player since Glenn Hoddle.’
West Bromwich Albion – Conor Townsend
The Baggies were relegated back to the Championship after failing to the cement themselves in the Premier League. I suspected that a certain creative Brazilian midfielder would be the POTS, but West Brom fan Steve (@WbaSteve) chose someone else entirely.
‘My player of the season Connor Townsend. Signed to be understudy to Gibbs, had an average start to his career and really thought he’d be out of his depth in the Premiership Proved us all wrong, played better than Gibbs gave some solid displays and looked good going forward.’
West Ham United – Declan Rice
The Hammers had a top season as they finished 6th, qualifying for the Europa League. They had some stunning performers this year, including Jesse Lingard and Tomas Soucek, but it was the England international Declan Rice that ‘The Boleyn Boys‘ chose.
‘Easily my player of the season for the Hammers. We’ve had an incredible season, the whole team deserve it but if I had to pick one it would be Declan. Soucek and Coufal go very close and I actually left Rice out at first but that’s only because he’s so good and has set such a high standard you completely over look how much of an impact he has on our team. He never has a bad game, solid 8/10 every single week, honestly without fail. The consistency amazes me and the 6 games he missed probably cost us that 1 win that would’ve seen us in UCL next season.’
Wolverhampton Wanderers – Pedro Neto
A season of suffer, in a way, for Wolves. A 13th place finish isn’t what they would’ve wanted, but the horrific injury to Raul Jimenez, and the announced departure of Nuno Espirito Santo puts it all into perspective. Tom from ‘The Wolfpack‘ chose their key man for us.
‘It’s an easy one for Wolves really, it has to be Pedro Neto, it’s been a very difficult season for Wolves but the young lad has definitely been a shining light for us this season’
There you go! A mix of content creators and fans’ player of the seasons, do you agree with your club’s choice? Would you have picked someone else? Let us know!
