Wikipedia

SFWA Manager of the Year

The Scottish Football Writers' Association Manager of the Year (often called the SFWA Manager of the Year, or simply the Scottish Manager of the Year) award is given to the manager in Scottish football who is seen to have been the best manager of the previous season. The award is voted for by the members of the Scottish Football Writers' Association.

SFWA Manager of the Year
Martin O'Neill won the award twice during his five seasons with Celtic
Awarded forThe outstanding manager in each given Scottish football season
CountryScotland
Presented byScottish Football Writers' Association
First award1987
Manager of the SeasonDerek McInnes
Most awardsWalter Smith (7)

The award was first given in 1987, and was won by Dundee United boss Jim McLean. The award has been won by a manager in the top division of the Scottish football league system in all but two years, 1990, when the award went to Scotland manager Andy Roxburgh and 1995 when the award was given to Jimmy Nicholl who managed Raith Rovers in the First Division. There is a similar award made by PFA Scotland, the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year, which was first given in 2007.

List of winners

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As of 2026, the award has been presented 40 times and won by 24 different managers. Walter Smith (7), Neil Lennon (3), Derek McInnes (3), Martin O'Neill (2), Dick Advocaat (2), Steve Clarke (2), Ange Postecoglou (2) and Brendan Rodgers (2) have won the award more than once. McInnes is the only manager to have won the award with more than one club.

SeasonManagerClubNotesRef[1]
1986–87Jim McLeanDundee United[citation needed]
1987–88Billy McNeillCeltic[citation needed]
1988–89Graeme SounessRangers[citation needed]
1989–90Andy RoxburghScotland[citation needed]
1990–91Alex TottenSt Johnstone[citation needed]
1991–92Walter SmithRangers[citation needed]
1992–93Walter Smith (2)Rangers[citation needed]
1993–94Walter Smith (3)Rangers[citation needed]
1994–95Jimmy NichollRaith Rovers[citation needed]
1995–96Walter Smith (4)Rangers[citation needed]
1996–97Walter Smith (5)Rangers[citation needed]
1997–98Wim JansenCeltic[citation needed]
1998–99Dick AdvocaatRangers[citation needed]
1999–00Dick Advocaat (2)Rangers[citation needed]
2000–01Martin O'NeillCeltic[citation needed]
2001–02John LambiePartick Thistle[citation needed]
2002–03Alex McLeishRangers[citation needed]
2003–04Martin O'Neill (2)Celtic[citation needed]
2004–05Tony MowbrayHibernian[2]
2005–06Gordon StrachanCeltic[3]
2006–07Gordon StrachanCelticAlso won the PFA Scotland award[4]
2007–08Walter Smith (6)Rangers[citation needed]
2008–09Csaba LászlóHeart of Midlothian[5]
2009–10Walter Smith (7)RangersAlso won the PFA Scotland award[6]
2010–11Mixu PaatelainenKilmarnock[7]
2011–12Neil LennonCeltic[8]
2012–13Neil Lennon (2)Celtic[9]
2013–14Derek McInnesAberdeenAlso won the PFA Scotland award[10]
2014–15John HughesInverness Caledonian ThistleAlso won the PFA Scotland award[11]
2015–16Jim McIntyreRoss County[12]
2016–17Brendan RodgersCelticAlso won the PFA Scotland award[citation needed]
2017–18Steve ClarkeKilmarnock[13]
2018–19Steve Clarke (2)KilmarnockAlso won the PFA Scotland award[14]
2019–20 Neil Lennon (3) Celtic [15][16]
2020–21 Steven Gerrard Rangers Also won the PFA Scotland award [17]
2021–22 Ange Postecoglou Celtic Also won the PFA Scotland award [18]
2022–23 Ange Postecoglou (2) Celtic Also won the PFA Scotland award [19]
2023–24Derek McInnes (2)Kilmarnock[20]
2024–25Brendan Rodgers (2)Celtic[21]
2025–26Derek McInnes (3)Heart of MidlothianAlso won the PFA Scotland award[22]

Winners by club

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "MANAGER OF THE YEAR". SFWA. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  2. ↑ "Hartson wins writers' top prize". BBC Sport. 2 May 2005. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  3. ↑ "Strachan is writers' boss of year". BBC Sport. 13 April 2006.
  4. ↑ "Nakamura gets top writers' prize". BBC Sport. 2 May 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  5. ↑ Forsyth, Roddy (13 May 2009). "Csaba Laszlo gets second Scotland manager of the year award". Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  6. ↑ "Davis crowned player of the year". BBC Sport. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "More awards for Izaguirre, Goodwillie and Paatelainen". BBC Sport. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  8. ↑ Fisher, Stewart (6 May 2012). "Title just the start for Lennon". Sunday Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  9. ↑ Smith, Andrew (12 May 2013). "Lennon says winning manager of year 'a privilege'". Scotland on Sunday. Johnston Publishing. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  10. ↑ Forsyth, Roddy (4 May 2014). "Derek McInnes hits the heights with Aberdeen after suffering pain of failure at Bristol City". Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Gordon, Moira (23 May 2015). "John Hughes still inspired by tragic Craig Gowans". Scotland on Sunday. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  12. ↑ McArthur, Euan (13 May 2016). "Paatelainen's fate not lost on McIntyre as Ross County manager counts his blessings". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Steve Clarke wins SWFA Manager of the Year award". Kilmarnock FC. 13 May 2018. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  14. ↑ @scottishfwa (9 May 2019). "SFWA Awards shortlist - Manager of the Year sponsored by William Hill - Dick Campbell, Steve Clarke, Gary Holt, Shelley Kerr. #SFWA #Footballwriters" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 May 2019 – via Twitter.
  15. ↑ "Shankland, Edouard, McGregor & Morelos in writers' award frame". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  16. ↑ "Neil Lennon is manager of the year". SFWA. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  17. ↑ "Steven Gerrard: Rangers boss wins Scottish writers' manager award". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  18. ↑ Alexander, Douglas (8 May 2022). "Ange Postecoglou: Celtic needed a major rebuild but I've only scratched the surface". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 May 2022. Yet a year later and Postecoglou is a double manager of the year, having added the Scottish Football Writers' Association award to the PFA Scotland accolade he received last weekend.
  19. ↑ "Ange Postecoglou wins Manager of the Year". scottishfwa.com. SFWA. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  20. ↑ "William Hill SFWA Manager of the Year award". scottishfwa.com. SFWA. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  21. ↑ "Rodgers Lifts Boss Prize". scottishfwa.com. SFWA. 17 May 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  22. ↑ "Hearts boss Derek McInnes lands SFWA prize". SFWA. 14 May 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
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