The first trophy was presented in 1983, but due to there being little space to engrave the names of any more winners the supporters' club commissioned a new trophy in 2018,[3] which was named the Geoff Dunford Memorial Trophy in honour of the former football club chairman who had died the previous year.[4]
Season | Player | Nation | Position | Age | Notes | Refs | 1982–83 | Aidan McCaffery | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1957|8|30|1982|8|1}} |
1983–84 | Brian Williams | {{ENG}} | Midfielder | {{age|1955|11|5|1983|8|1}} |
1984–85 | Tim Parkin | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1957|12|31|1984|8|1}} |
1985–86 | Tim Parkin | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1957|12|31|1985|8|1}} | First multiple winner |
1986–87 | Geoff Twentyman | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1959|3|10|1986|8|1}} |
1987–88 | Gary Penrice | {{ENG}} | Forward | {{age|1964|3|23|1987|8|1}} |
1988–89 | Nigel Martyn | {{ENG}} | Goalkeeper | {{age|1966|8|11|1988|8|1}} | Youngest ever winner |
1989–90 | Ian Holloway | {{ENG}} | Midfielder | {{age|1963|3|12|1989|8|1}} |
1990–91 | Carl Saunders | {{ENG}} | Forward | {{age|1964|11|26|1990|8|1}} |
1991–92 | Carl Saunders | {{ENG}} | Forward | {{age|1964|11|26|1991|8|1}} |
1992–93 | Gary Waddock | Republic of Ireland}} | Midfielder | {{age|1962|3|17|1992|8|1}} |
1993–94 | Worrell Sterling | {{ENG}} | Midfielder | {{age|1965|6|8|1993|8|1}} |
1994–95 | Andy Tillson | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1966|6|30|1994|8|1}} |
1995–96 | Marcus Stewart | {{ENG}} | Forward | {{age|1972|11|8|1995|8|1}} |
1996–97 | Andy Collett | {{ENG}} | Goalkeeper | {{age|1973|10|23|1996|8|1}} |
1997–98 | Barry Hayles | {{JAM}} | Forward | {{age|1972|5|17|1997|8|1}} |
1998–99 | Trevor Challis | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1975|10|23|1998|8|1}} |
1999–2000 | Andy Thomson | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1974|3|28|1999|8|1}} |
2000–01 | Steve Foster | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1974|12|3|2000|8|1}} |
2001–02 | Scott Howie | {{SCO}} | Goalkeeper | {{age|1972|1|4|2001|8|1}} | First non-English-born winner |
2002–03 | Vitālijs Astafjevs | {{LVA}} | Midfielder | {{age|1971|4|3|2002|8|1}} | First non-UK-born winner |
2003–04 | Kevin Miller | {{ENG}} | Goalkeeper | {{age|1969|3|15|2003|8|1}} | Oldest ever winner |
2004–05 | James Hunt | {{ENG}} | Midfielder | {{age|1976|12|17|2004|8|1}} |
2005–06 | Richard Walker | {{ENG}} | Forward | {{age|1977|11|8|2005|8|1}} |
2006–07 | Steve Phillips | {{ENG}} | Goalkeeper | {{age|1978|5|6|2006|8|1}} |
2007–08 | Stuart Campbell | {{SCO}} | Midfielder | {{age|1977|12|9|2007|8|1}} |
2008–09 | Rickie Lambert | {{ENG}} | Forward | {{age|1982|10|16|2008|8|1}} |
2009–10 | Stuart Campbell | {{SCO}} | Midfielder | {{age|1977|12|9|2009|8|1}} |
2010–11 | Stuart Campbell | {{SCO}} | Midfielder | {{age|1977|12|9|2010|8|1}} | First three-time winner |
2011–12 | Danny Woodards | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1983|10|8|2011|8|1}} |
2012–13 | Michael Smith | {{NIR}} | Defender | {{age|1988|9|4|2012|8|1}} |
2013–14 | Michael Smith | {{NIR}} | Defender | {{age|1988|9|4|2013|8|1}} |
2014–15 | Tom Parkes | {{ENG}} | Defender | {{age|1992|1|15|2014|8|1}} |
2015–16 | Matty Taylor | {{ENG}} | Forward | {{age|1990|3|30|2015|8|1}} |
2016–17 | Ollie Clarke | {{ENG}} | Midfielder | {{age|1992|6|29|2016|8|1}} | [5] |
2017–18 | Ellis Harrison | {{WAL}} | Forward | {{age|1994|1|29|2017|8|1}} | [6] |
Four players have won the award on more than one occasion. The record for most wins belongs to Stuart Campbell, who was player of the year in 2008, 2010 and 2011, while three other players have won the award twice.
Bristol Rovers Football Club held their inaugural end of season awards dinner in 2018, where they presented their own player of the year award. This went to midfielder Liam Sercombe.
1. ^Byrne & Jay (2018), p. 323
2. ^{{cite web |url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2018/april/endofseasonawards/ |title=End of Season Awards |date=19 April 2018 |publisher=Bristol Rovers Football Club |accessdate=20 November 2018}}
3. ^{{cite web |url=https://bristolroverssc.co.uk/2018/04/14/player-of-the-year-awards/ |title=Player of the Year awards |date=14 April 2018 |publisher=Bristol Rovers Supporters Club |accessdate=19 November 2018}}
4. ^{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-41609571 |title=Ex-Bristol Rovers chairman Geoff Dunford dies at the age of 66 |date=21 October 2017 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=19 November 2018}}
5. ^{{cite news |url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/your-bristol-rovers-player-year-61239 |title=YOUR Bristol Rovers player of the year revealed |date=16 May 2017 |first=Jack |last=Vittles |work=Bristol Post |accessdate=19 November 2018}}
6. ^{{cite web |url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2018/april/25.04.18-awards-winners/ |title=Presentation Evening |date=29 April 2018 |publisher=Bristol Rovers Supporters Club |accessdate=19 November 2018}}
7. ^{{cite news |url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liam-sercombe-ellis-harrison-being-1505321 |title=Liam Sercombe on Ellis Harrison being a 20-goal striker, being Bristol Rovers player of the year and next season's target |date=26 April 2018 |first=Laurence |last=Taylor |work=Bristol Post |accessdate=19 November 2018}}
3 : Bristol Rovers F.C.|Lists of association football players by club in England|Association football player non-biographical articles