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SFSA FANS’ AWARDS 2024

Date: 25th January 2025

Fans’ Awards, 2024

As we do every year, we got an exceptional return from our members and other fans (many of whom have since joined the SFSA), with thousands of votes  reflecting, we believe, the continuing interest of Scottish fans in our national sport, the players, managers, grassroots and, believe it or not, the match officials (without whom we wouldn’t have a game).  Without further ado, here are the results.

Men’s Player of the Year

There were hundreds of players nominated by fans up and down the country. As well as the winners, many well-known players from the biggest clubs received lots of votes, but clubs at all levels were represented with even one Junior side having players nominated (midfielder Ethan Samson of Tayport FC).  The winner had only 1% more votes than the runner up and, for the second year in a row, he is: 

Winner:               Scott McTominay

Runner-up:          Calum McGregor

Third:                  John McGinn

Fourth:                Lennon Miller

Fifth:                   Ben Doak

 

Women’s Player of the Year

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there were fewer women nominated than men, but 87 names were put forward and the winners are: 

Winner:               Erin Cuthbert

Runner-up:          Amy Gallagher

Third:                  Caroline Weir

Fourth=               Martha Thomas and Nicola Docherty

Manager of the Year

We don’t think this will be a surprise – and we’re delighted to see that the winner is from outwith the Premiership (he may well be a contender next year!).

Winner:               John McGlynn

Runner-up:          Brendan Rodgers

Third:                  Jim Goodwin

Fourth:                Steve Clarke

Fifth:                   Tony Docherty

Grassroots Hero of the Year

Some 89 names were put forward, but all but a handful received only one vote.  Consequently, we’re only listing the winner, who is….

Winner:               Lee Robertson of Rothes Juniors 2012

Referee of the Year

The SFSA has consistently championed the cause of our match officials, encouraging our members to take up a whistle to address the shortage of referees in some parts of Scotland.  While we obviously received quite a few responses along the lines of “none of them,” and a few players and managers were also nominated, most of our top officials received votes, with the winners as follows:

Winner:               John Beaton

Runner-up:          Nick Walsh

Third =                Kevin Clancy and Willie Collum

Fifth:                   Don Robertson

 

Fan of the Year

We had literally hundreds of nominations, many of which were the only ones for the person concerned, but, as the quotes below show, there is no doubt that Scotland and our clubs have some quite extraordinarily dedicated fans.  Moreover, many of these people go out of their way, not just to support their club or the national team, but also to raise funds for charity or do unpaid work behind the scenes at their clubs. Due to the huge number of single nominations, we’re only listing the top three.

Winner:               Stewart Falconer, St Johnstone

Runner-up         Craig Ferguson, Scotland fan

Third                   David Lamming, Dunfermline Athletic  

Stewart Falconer was nominated by Colin MacKay, who organises St Johnstone’s Food Bank. This is what Colin wrote:

“We’d like to nominate St Johnstone Fan Stewart Falconer. A lifelong, passionate, St Johnstone fan and long-term Season Ticket Holder, his love for his Club is only surpassed by his love for his family, who are also Saints Supporters. In April 2023, a totally blind Hibs fan, Carl Macar, travelled alone to Perth, by train, from his home in Sunderland. He needed assistance and to be met at the Railway Station to get to the game, and asked for help on social media. Despite never having met him before, Saints fan Stewart Falconer arranged to meet Carl, bring him to the game, assist him in getting to his seat in a different stand, then met him once again after the game and accompanied him back to the Railway Station. Carl later took to social media to praise Stewart and thank him for his help. Stewart has met Carl again, providing transport and assistance when Hibs play in Perth. Despite an advanced terminal cancer diagnosis, Stewart continues to get to every Saints game he can and even a day after painful and debilitating medical treatment Stewart will still make it to the game, and, without fail, carries with him a heavy carrier bag or two full of groceries to donate to Saint Fans Supporting Foodbanks Collections. At a time when football fans often get bad press (sometimes justified) Stewart is a shining example of what every football fan should strive to be. The motto of Fans Supporting Foodbanks is “Hunger Doesn’t Wear Club Colours” In Stewart’s case, he has proved that neither does empathy and kindness. Stewart, and the example he sets, is not only a Credit to his beloved St Johnstone, but to Scottish Football as a whole.”

Paisley’s Craig Ferguson is well-known, and deservedly so, for his phenomenal efforts in walking from Scotland to Germany for the Euros, raising tens of thousands of pounds for men’s mental health charity ‘Brothers in Arms.’

David Lamming has just retired, aged 80, from his position in the club shop at Dunfermline Athletic.   He worked as a volunteer at the shop for over 21 years and, as he said, has watched kids grow into adults as the continue their support for the Pars.

Amongst the many others, there were some memorable quotes, including the following:

“Grace Cuthbert because she’s Boswell through and through.”

“John Glencross – John has followed Alloa Athletic since he was a boy. He has put together the Alloa Athletic Museum & runs a group on Mondays called Alloa Memories for older people to come together and discuss our club.”

“Jon Attenborough – for his magnificent achievement in visiting every Scottish football ground and for his work in raising awareness in access for blind and disabled people to football.”

“Graeme Duthie (Graeme78 or hearts_enthusiast) on TikTok. The work Graeme has made about Hearts this year has been phenomenal and he’s been so consistent. Also appearing on the Locker Room show, he’s made a lot of really good videos.”

“Donnie McPhee – just died, but 72 years a season ticket holder at St Johnstone.”

“Aaron Jones, Aberdeen.  Travels to every game home and away with his mother.”

“Celtic Women’s Supporters Club. They attend every game home and away and support the women’s game in a very positive way.”

“Daniel O’Neill … has brought fun & enthusiasm to the women’s game via creating a noisy but fun atmosphere to the game that is inclusive.”

“Judy Hamilton. Never misses a match and does so much to get young people involved and going to the matches.”

SFSA Chairman’s Award

Gavin Newlands and Gillian Mackay are two politicians who really do get what the SFSA is trying to do and have been central to our campaign to get Scotland’s international matches free to air on television.  They have been enthusiastic and consistent supporters of the SFSA and consequently Andy Smith, the SFSA chair, is delighted to make a joint award to them for all their work in 2024.


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