Player of the Year awards: Herald and Times Sports writers pick winners for top gongs

Yet, it looks highly unlikely, with the football shutdown not set to be lifted any time in the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus crisis and the SPFL board now having the power to call time on the top flight, that the final matches will now be played.

If Celtic are crowned Scottish champions for the ninth year running based on a points per game basis it will be an unfortunate way to finish what has been another memorable league campaign.

The Glasgow club were pushed hard by Rangers until the January shutdown and only pulled 13 points clear when their city rivals suffered a dramatic slump in form following the restart.

Here, our football writers look back on the past eight months and decide who has been their Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year and what was their Goal of the Year.

Mark Hendry

Player of the Year - Odsonne Edouard

It is difficult to deny that the most influential star in the best team in the country deserves to be player of the year.

Step forward Odsonne Edouard.

The Frenchman has played his part in cementing top spot in the Premiership for Celtic once again. His insatiable appetite for scoring goals for his club has brought about 22 strikes in 30 league fixtures, a terrific return.

Edouard can look back fondly on this season and performances against Rangers at Ibrox, Kilmarnock and Ross County in particular. Whether he's starring up front on his own or alongside Leigh Griffiths in a front two, the ex-PSG attacker always turns up.

He narrowly pips Ryan Christie in this category, for me, who has also been outstanding this term.

Young Player of the Year - Jeremie Frimpong

Few youngsters have burst onto the scene this season quite like Jeremie Frimpong.

The Dutchman, 19, has been a breath of fresh air for Celtic with his showings down the right-flank. He never stops running and has provided his side with a bundle of energy and consistency.

Frimpong's run in the starting XI coincided, of course, with injury to Hatem Abd Elhamed. But the teen has more than earned his spot ahead of the average Moritz Bauer - and he continues to improve. He played the first ever competitive match of his men's football career early doors for Celtic and hasn't looked back. Further proof that his rise to stardom has been, dare I say it, meteoric.

Aaron Hickey at Hearts has established himself as a first-team star and contender for this award while Ryan Porteous has done the same at Hibs. St Johnstone's Ali McCann is another who is certainly one to keep an eye on, having had a terrific breakthrough season at McDiarmid Park.

Goal of the Season - Jack Stobbs vs Ross County

Despite being perhaps the most entertaining process behind end of season award choices, picking goal of the season is always incredibly difficult.

The internal battle in my mind comes down to choosing between a strike's skill level, aesthetics and importance. This term there have been plenty of worthy winners. However, for sheer technique I've opted to go with Livingston ace Jack Stobbs's wonder-strike against Ross County on his debut.

Having joined the Staggies from Sheffield Wednesday on loan, Stobbs wasted little time showing what he can do when he arrowed a first-time volley into the top corner of County's net to secure a brilliant 4-1 win for Gary Holt's Lions.

Steven Lawless must take credit for his pinpoint cross-field pass to find his teammate and goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw had no chance after the ball left Stobbs' boot.

Stevie Mallan's thunderbolt for Hibs in September's Edinburgh derby also deserves recognition in the top tier while Chris McStay's overhead kick for Clyde and Lee Ashcroft's Zidane-esque volley for Dunfermline were also magnificent.

Matthew Lindsay

Player of the Year - Odsonne Edouard

It’s gotta be Edouard.

Alfredo Morelos was, the three games against Celtic aside, sensational for Rangers in the first half of the 2019/20 campaign. The Colombian striker improved his discipline and enjoyed a fine spell of form. Not least in Europe. The 14 goals he netted in the Europa League before Christmas was a record for a UEFA competition. 

But his demons resurfaced in December – he was sent off twice in three games – and in 2020 he has been a bitter disappointment. So much so, in fact, that there was even speculation that Hibs loanee Florian Kamberi would start ahead of him against Bayer Leverkusen at Ibrox last month. 

If Morelos has regressed as the season has gone on the opposite has been true of Odsonne Edouard. He has netted 11 times in 13 matches to take his tally for the season to 28 in all competitions. But the 22-year-old contributes more than just goals. His play outside the box has been a delight to watch. He has created as well as converted. 

It is to be hoped the French striker’s appearance in the 5-0 win over St Mirren last month wasn’t his last in this country.

Young Player of the Year – Jeremie Frimpong 

When Jeremie Frimpong was signed by Celtic from Manchester City for a nominal fee last summer it almost went unnoticed in Scottish football. All the attention was on Boli Bolingoli, Mohammed Elyounoussi, Fraser Forster, Christopher Jullien and Ryan Kent. But the young Dutchman has certainly made people sit up and take notice since. 

The diminutive teenager hadn’t played a game of senior football when he arrived in Glasgow. But he blew Neil Lennon and his coaching staff away in training at Lennoxtown and soon got his chance. After starting in the Betfred Cup match against Partick Thistle at Firhill in September he didn’t look back.

Frimpong’s “oh my days!”remark in an interview after the Betfred Cup final made him an online sensation. But his football has been pretty special too. He has delighted fans with his ability and confidence going forward and defensively he has been no pushover either. Having just turned 19 in DEcember, he is only going to get better. 

Goal of the Season - Kristoffer Ajer vs Aberdeen 

There are certain moments during every successful league campaign which the winning team looks back on as being pivotal to their success. If, as now looks inevitable, Celtic are crowned Ladbrokes Premiership champions, they will pinpoint their hard-fought victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie in February as being vital. 

If they had been held to a draw then Rangers would have been eight points behind with a game in hand and two Old Firm matches to come. But they triumphed to ensure they were 10 points ahead at the end of the day. The triumph was clinched by an outstanding team goal with nine minutes remaining. 

Odsonne Edouard in the centre circle backheeled to Callum McGregor who advanced upfield before supplying James Forrest. The winger cut inside and then squared to Kristoffer Ajer. The centre half, who had raced the length of the field, took one touch before firing past Joe Lewis. 

It wasn’t just a fine strike, it was a hugely important one.

Aidan Smith

Player of the Year - Odsonne Edouard 

Odsonne Edouard is not being touted for a big money move to the English Premier League for nothing. Some questioned if it was a wise decision financially for Celtic to splash a record breaking fee of £9million to PSG for his services, but after bagging 37 goals in 59 appearances since making his move permanent, there is no doubt that it was money well spent. 

Football is ultimately about scoring goals and Edouard has done that in abundance this season, notching up 28 before the season was halted. The fact that the Frenchman has a habit of scoring goals at key moments has ultimately put the Hoops on course for yet another treble. 

Neil Lennon will do well to hold on to the 22-year-old over the summer transfer window with Arsenal and Newcastle reportedly keeping tabs. A no brainer - the top performer in the Scottish Premiership.

Young Player of the Year - Ali McCann 

Tommy Wright has already tipped Ali McCann to be in the running for the main player of the year award and if it hadn’t been for Edouard’s richness in front of goal then I reckon he could have been in with a shout. The 20-year-old has brought a touch of class to St Johnstone’s midfield in the form of creativity and goal scoring ability. 

Having watched the kid mix it with the league’s very best, it is clear that he has a big future ahead. Prior to this season the youngster had only made one start for Saints, but a loan spell at Stranraer last term has worked wonders for the central midfielder. 

McCann looks set for a full international call up with Northern Ireland when football returns and with him also being eligible to play for Scotland, questions must be asked why he’s slipped through the fingers of those at Hampden.

Goal of the Season - Stevie Mallan vs Hearts

It did not turn out to be enough to take all three points from the Edinburgh derby, but Stevie Mallan’s rocket has to be my strike of the season.

Capital clashes are always tense affairs, but Mallan, who hasn’t been short a goal of the season contender in the past, produced a piece of brilliance to break the deadlock at Easter Road in September. 

His ability to find space in a crowded midfield before unleashing a sublime bullet into the top corner was something special. It was a goal fitting of winning a derby, but unfortunately for Jack Ross’ side it did not turn out that way.