Southampton Captain, Jose Fonte was the big winner at the SFC Players’ Awards last night as he brought in a two-award haul.
The Portuguese centre half won the Fans’ Player of the Season and Player’ Player of the Season after a hugely impressive season leading the Saints to their highest ever Premier League points total and highest ever finishing position.
The Saints skipper has been ever-present at the heart of a Southampton back four which, for much of the campaign, held the best defensive record in the Premier League – this season also saw Fonte called up to the Portugal squad for the first time in his career.
Fonte beat off competition from Morgan Schnedierlin and Fraser Forster who were second and third respectively, to win the vote for Fans’ Player of the Season. Saints fans will be hoping that their captain doesn’t follow in the footsteps of ex-skipper Adam Lallana, who won both awards for his 2013/14 season and proceeded to leave for Liverpool in the summer.
Matt Targett was awarded the Young Player of the Season award for his performances in his 12 first-team appearances this year alongside an impressive campaign in the Under-21s side. The 19 year-old’s good form has not gone unnoticed on a national level either and has been rewarded with a call up to England Under-21s provisional 27-man squad ahead of the European Championships this summer.
Shane Long won the Goal of the Season trophy for his dipping 35-yard effort last weekend in the 6-1 thrashing of Aston Villa. His goal pipped Graziano Pelle’s bicycle kick against QPR earlier in the season to win, gaining 30.7% of the vote – beating Pelle’s goal by just over two per-cent.
Honorary President Terry Paine MBE handed Victor Wanyama the President’s Choice Award for his terrific season as part of a formidable defensive midfield partnership with Morgan Schneiderlin – the Kenyan was involved 37 times this season contributing three goals (and 12 yellow cards).
