North East Sporting Memories

A living archive of North East sport — and beyond · Est. 2026
Newcastle · Sunderland · Middlesbrough
Est. 1979 · Presented annually at Ramside Hall

North East Football Writers’
Player of the Year

Voted every year by the region’s football journalists. The trophy has passed between Tyne, Wear and Tees for more than four decades — a running commentary on which North East footballer captured the imagination.

Senior Player of the Year

Roll of honour
2025
Sunderland

Dan Ballard

Championship promotion hero — commanding centre-back season.

2024
Newcastle

Alexander Isak

Prolific Swede — 21 Premier League goals.

2023
Newcastle

Kieran Trippier

Talisman of the Champions League return.

2022
Newcastle

Bruno Guimarães

Midfield conductor of the Saudi-era revival.

2021
Newcastle

Allan Saint-Maximin

The last light before the takeover.

2019
Newcastle

Fabian Schär

Ball-playing Swiss defender under Benítez.

2018
Newcastle

Martin Dúbravka

Slovakian keeper — instant fan favourite.

2017
Newcastle

Jamaal Lascelles

Captain of the Championship title winners.

2016
Sunderland

Jermain Defoe

15 goals — kept the Black Cats up.

2015
Newcastle

Daryl Janmaat

Dutch full-back, one bright spot.

2014
Sunderland

Lee Cattermole

'Mr Sunderland' — the midfield heartbeat.

2013
Newcastle

Yohan Cabaye

French sensation who bossed the Premier League.

2012
Sunderland

Simon Mignolet

Belgian keeper — peak Wearside form.

2011
Newcastle

Fabricio Coloccini

Argentine centre-half of the promotion side.

2010
Sunderland

Darren Bent

24 Premier League goals for the Black Cats.

2009
Sunderland

Danny Collins

Welsh defender in his final Wearside season.

2000
Sunderland

Kevin Phillips

30 goals — European Golden Boot.

Young Player of the Year

The next generation
2024
Sunderland

Chris Rigg

Homegrown teenage midfielder — Academy of Light gem.

2022
Sunderland

Anthony Patterson

Goalkeeper of the League One promotion run.

2019
Newcastle

Sean Longstaff

Local lad — instant midfield anchor.

Earlier Young Player winners are being catalogued from the NEFWA archive — contributions welcome via Your Story.

From the 1980s & 1990s

Legends of the trophy

Confirmed past recipients whose exact winning years we’re still verifying from press archives.

  • Peter BeardsleyNewcastle

    Multiple wins across the 1980s and 90s

  • Alan ShearerNewcastle

    Repeat winner following his 1996 world-record move home

  • Andy ColeNewcastle

    Prolific Keegan-era striker of the early 90s

  • JuninhoMiddlesbrough

    Bryan Robson's Brazilian jewel, mid-90s Boro

  • Niall QuinnSunderland

    The Quinn/Phillips Premier League breakthrough years

  • Gareth SouthgateMiddlesbrough

    Captain of the 2004 League Cup winners

  • Shay GivenNewcastle

    The great Irish keeper of the Robson era

Curated by North East Sporting Memories · Corrections & additions welcome