Gavin Mahon, recipient of the award in 2003–04

The Watford F.C. Player of the Season award is voted for annually by supporters of the English association football club Watford F.C., in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the season. Each season the winner is presented with the Watford Observer Trophy at the club's end-of-season awards dinner.^[1]

Twenty-seven different players have won the award since its inception in 1973. Eight of these players have lifted the award for a second time. As of 2009, former goalkeeper Tony Coton is the only player to have received the title for a third time. Coton is one of three players to have won the award in consecutive seasons, the others being Wilf Rostron in 1982–83 and 1983–84, and most recently Tommy Smith in 2007–08 and 2008–09.^[2] Eight winners of the award have represented their country at international level, of whom only John McClelland went on to become Watford's Player of the Season for a second time.

In previous years, fans voted directly for the Player of the Season on the Watford Observer's website,^[3] but this system was changed in 2009. After every match, the Watford Observer allows fans to rate each individual player's performance on a five-point scale. At the end of the season the votes are collated, and the winner is the player who has the highest average rating over the course of the season.^[4]

[edit] Winners

      † Player has been inducted into the Watford Hall of Fame.

      ‡ Player has represented Watford in the 2009–10 season.

International appearances are correct as of 15 November 2009.

Names in italic text represents players who have played professional football in the 2009–10 season.

Season	Level[A]	Name	Position[B]	Country	International caps	Notes[2]
1972–73	3	Rankin, AndyAndy Rankin	Goalkeeper	England	0	Inaugural winner
1973–74	3	Jennings, BillyBilly Jennings	Forward	England	0[C][5]
1974–75	3	Rankin, AndyAndy Rankin	Goalkeeper	England	0	Second award
1975–76	4	Jenkins, RossRoss Jenkins	Forward	England	0	[D][6]
1976–77	4	Mercer, KeithKeith Mercer	Forward	England	0
1977–78	4	Garner, AlanAlan Garner	Defender	England	0
1978–79	3	Jenkins, RossRoss Jenkins	Forward	England	0	Second award[D][6]
1979–80	2	Bolton, IanIan Bolton †	Defender	England	0	[7]
1980–81	2	Sims, SteveSteve Sims	Defender	England	0
1981–82	2	Taylor, LesLes Taylor †	Midfielder	England	0	[8]
1982–83	1	Rostron, WilfWilf Rostron	Defender	England	0
1983–84	1	Rostron, WilfWilf Rostron	Defender	England	0	Second award
1984–85	1	McClelland, JohnJohn McClelland †	Defender	Northern Ireland	53[9]	[10]
1985–86	1	Coton, TonyTony Coton †	Goalkeeper	England	0[E][11]	[12]
1986–87	1	Coton, TonyTony Coton †	Goalkeeper	England	0[E][11]	Second award[12]
1987–88	1	McClelland, JohnJohn McClelland †	Defender	Northern Ireland	53[9]	Second award[10]
1988–89	2	Hodges, GlynGlyn Hodges	Midfielder	Wales	18[13]
1989–90	2	Coton, TonyTony Coton †	Goalkeeper	England	0[E][11]	Third award[12]
1990–91	2	James, DavidDavid James †	Goalkeeper	England	49[14]	[15][16]
1991–92	2	Gibbs, NigelNigel Gibbs	Defender	England	0	[F][17]
1992–93	2	Furlong, PaulPaul Furlong	Forward	England	0[G][18]	[19]
1993–94	2	Porter, GaryGary Porter	Midfielder	England	0[H][20]
1994–95	2	Miller, KevinKevin Miller	Goalkeeper	England	0
1995–96	2	Mooney, TommyTommy Mooney †	Forward	England	0	[21]
1996–97	3	Miller, KevinKevin Miller	Goalkeeper	England	0	Second award
1997–98	3	Chamberlain, AlecAlec Chamberlain	Goalkeeper	England	0
1998–99	2	Palmer, SteveSteve Palmer	Defender[I][22]	England	0
1999–2000	1	Page, RobertRobert Page	Defender	Wales	41[23]	[24]
2000–01	2	Mooney, TommyTommy Mooney †	Forward	England	0	Second award[21]
2001–02	2	Chamberlain, AlecAlec Chamberlain	Goalkeeper	England	0	Second award
2002–03	2	Gayle, MarcusMarcus Gayle	Forward	Jamaica	14[25]
2003–04	2	Mahon, GavinGavin Mahon	Midfielder	England	0	[12][26]
2004–05	2	Helguson, HeiðarHeiðar Helguson ‡	Forward	Iceland	46[27]	[10][28]
2005–06	2	King, MarlonMarlon King	Forward	Jamaica	18[29]	[21][30]
2006–07	1	Foster, BenBen Foster	Goalkeeper	England	4[31]	[J][8][32]
2007–08	2	Smith, TommyTommy Smith ‡	Forward	England	0[K][33]	[15][34]
2008–09	2	Smith, TommyTommy Smith ‡	Forward	England	0[K][33]	Second award[34][35]

[edit] Statistics

Ben Foster was voted Player of the Season while on loan from Manchester United.

Tommy Mooney, winner in 1995–96 and 2000–01.

Wins by playing position

Wins by country

Country	Number of winners[L]
England	30
Iceland	1
Jamaica	2
Northern Ireland	2
Wales	2

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References