FSA Awards 2022: De Bruyne & Mead win major supporter honours

Kevin De Bruyne and Beth Mead win FSA Player of the Year awards at the 2022 FSA Awards with BeGambleAware, the biggest supporter-led awards event in the UK.

Manchester City’s title-winning midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was crowned Men’s Player of the Year at the Football Supporters’ Association Awards in association with BeGambleAware, which took place in London on Monday night.

With more than 250,000 votes cast, the FSA Awards are the largest supporter-led awards in the UK and De Bruyne topped the fans’ vote, finishing ahead of Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimarães, Man City teammate Erling Haaland, Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Brentford’s Ivan Toney.

De Bruyne is the second Manchester City player to scoop the award in 12 years. Previous winners of the FSA Men’s Player of the Year include Mo Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Virigl van Dijk, Sergio Agüero and Harry Kane.

Arsenal and England forward Beth Mead won the Women’s Player of the Year award for the second time. Mead won the popular vote among football fans, seeing off competition from Ashleigh Neville, Ella Toone, Kate Longhurst, Keira Walsh and Sam Kerr.

Beth Mead said: “Thank you so, so much to everyone who voted for me for FSA Women’s Player of the Year. Incredible honour for me to be voted for this award, especially by you, the fans.

“What a year it’s been – not only for me individually but as an England team what we did this summer was incredible. Hopefully you loved, and lived and breathed every single minute with us. I just want to say thank you for the support.”

Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters’ Association, said: “There’s no doubt Beth and Kevin have both had incredible years. Kevin’s contribution to Manchester City’s midfield and quality of his goals have once again lit up English football.

“Beth’s heroics in the Euros, on top of a stellar season for Arsenal, will live long in the memory of football fans.”

Elsewhere Ian Wright picked up the trophy for Pundit of the Year for the second time – beating previous winners Alex Scott, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville.

Peter Drury proved he remains a favourite among supporters, once again winning the vote in the Commentator of the Year category – receiving the award for the third time.

“Thank you so much for affording me this fantastic honour,” Peter said. “And an honour indeed it is, particularly in the face of competition from a shortlist full of people who I both like and admire hugely.

“To receive this sort of acclaim from genuine supporters of the game means the world to me.”

In total 10 categories were open to a public vote, including the player and pundit categories, with the remaining awards decided by an FSA panel.

Zoe Osmond, chief executive of BeGambleAware, said: “We are pleased to be supporting the FSA Awards once again this year to join forces to raise awareness of the early warning signs of gambling harms.

“Our partnership with the FSA is an important one as we work together to keep football fans and players safe from gambling harms.”

The winners of the 2022 FSA Awards in association with BeGambleAware:

Climate Action Award
Bristol City FC

Club Podcast of the Year
Blue Moon

Commentator of the Year
Peter Drury

Fans for Diversity Award
Rainbow Blades

Fan Media of the Year
The Square Ball

Fanzine of the Year
My Only Desire

Men’s Player of the Year
Kevin de Bruyne

Newspaper of the Year
The Guardian

Non-League Community Award
Solihull Moors FC

Online Media of the Year
The Athletic

Podcast of the Year
The Guardian Football Weekly

TV/Radio Pundit of the Year
Ian Wright

Radio Show of the Year
The Warm-Up

Special Achievement
The Lionesses

Supporter Engagement Award
Watford FC

Supporter Liaison Officer of the Year
Louise Formston & Nina Crombie

Women’s Player of the Year
Beth Mead

Writer of the Year
Barney Ronay