Nathan Redmond has achieved his first hat trick for Saints, after his two awards in the Clubs own voting he has now added the Daily Echo player of the year to his mantelpiece.
Earlier in the week at the club's awards evening Nathan Redmond won both Players player of the year and also the fans player of the year and he has now completed the hat trick by scooping the Daily Echo player of the year award.
Redmond took first place with 39% of the vote with Pierre Emile Hojbjerg behind him on 30%, James Ward Prowse 3rd on 22%.
Only two other players featured in the voting, Jan Bednarek came fourth with 9% and fifth was Danny Ins on 1%, yes I know that adds up to 101%, but blame the Daily Echo not me I'm using their figures and they have clearly rounded everything up and not bothered to count.
It is interesting to note that three of the five players were for one reason or another not seen as first team regulars up till fairly recently, winner Nathan Redmond had an awful season last year and many thought he might leave the club in the summer with Mark Hughes not keen on him, but he pulled his socks up had the right attitude and came back this season stronger and is a deserved winner.
Likewise James Ward Prowse, when Ralph Hasenhuttl arrived JWP was being ignored by Mark Hughes and looked set to leave the Austrian rejuvenated him it cannot be denied.
Jan Bednarek go into the team last season under Mark Hughes and put in some strong if raw displays, strangely this season Hughes almost completely ignored him, he played only twice, coming on as a sub at Liverpool in the second half and Saints already 3-0 down and then started against Chelsea at home when 1-0 down at half time Hughes took him off. He was in Hasenhuttl's first selected team for the trip to Cardiff and as started every game under the Austrian, he gets stronger by the game.
The Daily Echo award was for many years since it's inception in the early 1970's the main and indeed only award and until the arrival of Nicola Cortese was run in conjunction with the club.
Therefore the list of those who have won it reads like a whose who of Saints greats as well as a few surprises.
Mel Blythe in 1976 for instance would not be the first name to trip off the tongue when recalling that season.
Goalkeepers have also figured heavily Peter Shilton then the best keeper in the Wold won it two seasons in a row, as did Tim Flowers, Dave Beasant and Paul Jones each won it in the 1990's and Antti Niemi in 2004. Kelvin Davis won it in 2008/09 as we headed to League One and last year Alex McCarthy was the recipient.
No surprises though are the likes of Mick Channon, Alan Ball, Steve Williams, Kevin Keegan, Mark Wright, Matt Le Tissier and Rickie Lambert.
Full list of previous winners.
- 1974—75 Mick Channon
- 1975—76 Mel Blyth
- 1976—77 Steve Williams
- 1977—78 Alan Ball
- 1978—79 Malcolm Waldron
- 1979—80 Phil Boyer
- 1980—81 Ivan Golac
- 1981—82 Kevin Keegan
- 1982—83 Mark Wright
- 1983—84 David Armstrong
- 1984—85 Peter Shilton
- 1985—86 Peter Shilton
- 1986—87 Glenn Cockerill
- 1987—88 Derek Statham
- 1988—89 Jimmy Case
- 1989—90 Matthew Le Tissier
- 1990—91 Alan Shearer
- 1991—92 Tim Flowers
- 1992—93 Tim Flowers
- 1993—94 Matthew Le Tissier
- 1994—95 Matthew Le Tissier
- 1995—96 Dave Beasant
- 1996—97 Egil Østenstad
- 1997—98 Paul Jones
- 1998—99 James Beattie
- 1999—00 Dean Richards
- 2000—01 Wayne Bridge
- 2001—02 Chris Marsden
- 2002—03 James Beattie
- 2003—04 Antti Niemi
- 2004—05 Peter Crouch
- 2005—06 Claus Lundekvam
- 2006—07 Chris Baird
- 2007—08 Andrew Davies
- 2008—09 Kelvin Davis
- 2009—10 Rickie Lambert
- 2010—11 José Fonte
- 2011—12 Rickie Lambert
- 2012—13 Morgan Schneiderlin
- 2013—14 Adam Lallana
- 2014—15 José Fonte
- 2015-16 Shane Long
- 2016-17 Oriol Romeu
- 2017-18 Alex McCarthy