The PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year, formerly known as the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year, is named at the end of every Scottish football season. The members of the Professional Footballers' Association Scotland vote on which of its young members played the best football in the previous year. The award was first given in 1978, to Graeme Payne. The Bulgarian international Stiliyan Petrov was the first non-Scottish player to win the award, when he did so in 2001.
List of winners
As of 2026, the award has been presented 48 times and won by 43 different players. Kieran Tierney (3), Craig Levein (2), Eoin Jess (2) and Phil O'Donnell (2) are the players who have won the award more than once.
SeasonNatPlayerClubNotesRef1977–78Dundee United1978–79Dundee United1979–80Rangers1980–81Celtic1981–82St Mirren1982–83Celtic1983–84Heart of Midlothian1984–85Heart of Midlothian1985–86Heart of Midlothian1986–87Rangers1987–88Hibernian1988–89Dundee United1989–90Heart of Midlothian1990–91Aberdeen1991–92Motherwell1992–93Aberdeen1993–94Motherwell1994–95Rangers1995–96Celtic1996–97Dundee United1997–98Heart of Midlothian1998–99Rangers1999–00Hibernian2000–01Celtic2001–02Aberdeen2002–03Motherwell2003–04Celtic2004–05HibernianAlso won the SFWA award.2005–06CelticAlso won the Players' Player of the Year award2006–07Kilmarnock2007–08Celtic2008–09Hamilton Academical2009–10RangersAlso won the SFWA award.2010–11Dundee UnitedAlso won the SFWA award.2011–12CelticAlso won the SFWA award.2012–13HibernianAlso won the SFWA Footballer of the Year award.2013–14Dundee United2014–15Celtic2015–16CelticAlso won the SFWA award.2016–17CelticAlso won the SFWA award.2017–18CelticAlso won the SFWA award.2018–19Rangers 2019–20 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PFA Scotland cancelled their awards for the 2019–20 season. 2020–21Celtic 2021–22Celtic2022–23Rangers2023–24KilmarnockAlso won the SFWA award.2024–25MotherwellAlso won the SFWA award.2025–26Rangers
Breakdown of winners
Winners by club Club Number of wins Winning seasons Celtic141980–81, 1982–83, 1995–96, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21, 2021–22 Rangers8 1979–80, 1980–87, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2009–10, 2018–19, 2022–23, 2025–26 Dundee United6 1977–78, 1978–79, 1988–89, 1996–97, 2010–11, 2013–14 Heart of Midlothian5 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1997–98 Hibernian4 1987–88, 1999–00, 2004–05, 2012–13 Motherwell4 1991–92, 1993–94, 2002–03 Aberdeen3 1990–91, 1992–93, 2001–02 Kilmarnock2 2006–07, 2023–24 Hamilton Academical1 2008–09 St Mirren1 1981–82
Winners by country Country Number of wins Winning seasonsScotland401977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21, 2023–24England2 2018–19, 2025–26Republic of Ireland2 2007–08, 2008–09Belgium1 2014–15Bulgaria1 2000–01Israel1 2021–22United States1 2022–23
See also PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year PFA Scotland Team of the Year PFA Scotland Manager of the Year SFWA Young Player of the Year
References