Digne named Everton's Player of the Season

Tuesday, 14 May, 2019 43comments  |  Jump to most recent
Lucas Digne has been selected as Everton Player of the Year for 2018-19 and joint Player's Player of the Year alongside Idrissa Gueye in the club's Dixie Awards.

The Frenchman, an £18m acquisition from Barcelona last August, made an instant impact with the Blues and made the important role previously filled by Leighton Baines his own with consistent defensive performances and some spectacular goals.

Digne had already been named the Everton Supporters' Club player of the season and has now scooped the club's official gong. He shares the Player's Player of the Year accolade with Gueye in what is a first for the club.

Richarlison, another successful summer signing from last year, picked up the award for Young Player of the Year.

This year's Dixies take the form of a magazine-style show, which is on evertonfc.com exclusively for Official Members and will be available to all supporters on demand via the club's YouTube channel from 8pm this evening.

“It is a big pleasure that the fans chose me for this award,” Digne said after receiving the award. “I am so happy to win this trophy in my first season in the Premier League. We are building something and I am very happy to be part of this team.

“I have a very good feeling with the Evertonians, they welcomed me the best way I could imagine and it is amazing to play in front of them at Goodison Park.”

Meanwhile, David Unsworth was recognised by Chairman Bill Kenwright as this year's Everton Giant.

The former left-back who has twice taken charge of the first-team in a caretaker capacity has led Everton's U23s to two Premier League 2 titles in the space of three years and this season steered the team to the double by winning the Premier League Cup.

From Unsworth's team, which won the Howard Kendall award for their double-winning feat, Nathan Broadhead was named Under-23s Player of the Year while Simone Magill was chosen as Everton Ladies Player of the Year.

Gylfi Sigurdsson's spectacular strike at Leicester was selected as Goal of the Season.

Kenwright's annual Blueblood Award went to arguably the most improved player in Marco Silva's first-team ranks, Michael Keane.

Alfie, the inspirational 10-year-old who launched Alfies Squad, a fundraising campaign to develop a children's-focused area in Everton's proposed Peoples Place mental health facility, won Fan of the Year.

Everton in the Community Community Engagement Officer, Henry Mooney, who retires in June after 12 years at the club won the People's Club award.

 

Reader Comments (43)

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Mike Gaynes
1 Posted 14/05/2019 at 17:52:33
Congratulations to the young man, and congratulations to Brands for the prescience to sign him.

I had him #2 (behind Gana, who was irreplaceable), but nobody asked for my vote.

By the way, ESPN's Bill Barnwell selected Pickford's miracle Kuchunga save against Huddersfield as the Save of the Season in the Prem. And he named Digne to the substitutes' bench on his Team of the Season (also our old boy Shane Duffy).

Steve Ferns
2 Posted 14/05/2019 at 18:13:08
Come on, I'm as big a fan of Unsworth as anyone, but an Everton giant? Why? Surely there's others on the list? You know guys who won stuff other than a solitary FA Cup.
Frank Wade
3 Posted 14/05/2019 at 19:01:50
Steve, He's just won the PL2 double. Surely that speaks for something, the work he is doing with the Academy. Like Mike, I had Gana just ahead of Lucas Digne. Hope both are still Everton players next season.
Fran Mitchell
4 Posted 14/05/2019 at 19:05:21
Well in Digne, took over from Baines seamlessly, which was no easy task. Had never heard of him before he arrived, despite having played for big teams before.

Hoping for more like him to come our way.

And well done Broadhead, a forward player who may have a future with us?

Brent Stephens
5 Posted 14/05/2019 at 19:31:18
What I like about Digne, apart from his obvious talent, is his lack of ego. One of our best signings in many years.
Tony Hill
6 Posted 14/05/2019 at 19:36:50
A richly deserved award. He has natural self-assurance and he has timing, the latter will improve further as will his game generally. He is a classical Everton player.
Martin Nicholls
7 Posted 14/05/2019 at 19:44:39
Based on Digne's comments, the ridiculous rumour about him moving to Tottenham in exchange for Danny Rose is just that - ridiculous!
Dave Ganley
8 Posted 14/05/2019 at 19:48:49
Completely well deserved. As well as Gana has done in the 2nd half of the season I thought Lucas has been exceptional all season. Well done Lucas
Derek Knox
9 Posted 14/05/2019 at 20:11:23
Well deserved from a cracking player and a cracking lad, let's hope he is with us for many years to come and we start to taste success.
Colin Glassar
10 Posted 14/05/2019 at 20:42:14
Digne actually looks like he likes playing for us which is a welcome change. I wonder what Unsy got from Chairman Bill, a bag of second hand boiled sweets?
Frank Sheppard
11 Posted 14/05/2019 at 20:43:19
A nice touch, and appropriate that PPOY is shared.
Ray Smith
12 Posted 14/05/2019 at 20:56:45
Digne won't move fact.

Gomes will sign 90%.

Zouma will stay if Chelsea agree! Not hopeful with their transfer ban for purchasing players for 2 windows.

Gana not sure, not hopeful, but pray he stays.

If we secure Gomes and Zouma how much is left in the transfer kitty?

We have to trust in Brands, but he has to be judged on results/captures. He has a great perceived track record, let's see what the next window brings.

I have advocated silence, but the silence is deafening.

I hate media speculation but it's not all without foundation.

Early signing may settle the (my) nerves!!!

Sam Hoare
13 Posted 14/05/2019 at 20:56:51
I was a bit put out when we signed Digne as I was hoping for Tierney. Certainly proved me wrong.
Danny Broderick
14 Posted 14/05/2019 at 21:01:15
He's been a great signing. The team really seemed to click on the last couple of months. Gueye and Digne were central to that.
Bill Gienapp
15 Posted 14/05/2019 at 21:13:08
Digne would have gotten my vote. Gueye took it to another level over the second half of the season, but Digne was our most consistent and reliable performer from beginning to end. Can't go wrong with either choice though.
Jay Harris
16 Posted 14/05/2019 at 22:02:12
Starting to see signs of Dignard a la Bainaar. Our left is definitely more productive than our right.

Now if we could just replicate that on the right and get a prolific CF.

Rob Halligan
17 Posted 14/05/2019 at 22:09:02
As Martin # 7 says. The rumour of Digne going to spurs in exchange for Danny Rose is just ridiculous. This is what Digne did upon receiving his award

"It is a big pleasure that the fans chose me for this award” Digne said. “I am so happy to win this trophy in my first season in the Premier League. We are building something and I am very happy to be part of this team."

so why on earth would Brands and Silva contemplate swapping him for Rose? Whichever rag ( I think it was The Star) started this rumour even said Everton and spurs had sat down to discuss a deal for Digne, and Everton said they wanted Rose in part exchange. Just utter garbage.

Well done to lucas Digne. Fully deserved, and he did receive my vote.

Tony Everan
18 Posted 14/05/2019 at 22:15:43
Well done to Lucas, well deserved.

We are a team on the up and he will be a major part of our future success. A great signing. We love him.

Jamie Crowley
19 Posted 14/05/2019 at 22:31:57
You can't ask for a better signing.

Talented player, hit the ground completely running in 5th gear, no drama, great skill, fits the system, tough as nails, intelligent, all of it.

More like him and we'll be knocking on the door, if we aren't already.

Everton sure have had solidity at the LB position for many a year now.

Mike Gaynes
20 Posted 14/05/2019 at 22:48:25
Keep, Steve, definitely. He can challenge Seamus at RB. What's your thought on him?

Holgate's inconsolable. In tears.

Interesting that his manager had so much faith in him that he was chosen to take the first one. Great save though.

Thought he showed great calm and composure those last 45 minutes when they were under the gun.

Mike Gaynes
21 Posted 14/05/2019 at 22:48:56
Wow, Rob, that's true? That's amazing.
Jerome Shields
22 Posted 15/05/2019 at 00:02:26
Deservedly so, but Gueye run him right.
Stephen McNally
23 Posted 15/05/2019 at 07:33:35
Well done Digne, you deserve this award. Hopefully, Brands and Silva can improve the squad this summer and Digne gets to play Champions League football which is what is talent deserves.
Christopher Timmins
24 Posted 15/05/2019 at 08:02:47
Well deserved and hopefully we can enjoy his talent for year's to come. He had a bad spell during our bad run of results be he came through it and that can only be a good sign.
Steve Pugh
25 Posted 15/05/2019 at 08:42:00
If Robertson played for anyone other than Liverpool Digne would have been voted as the best left back in the Premier League, but the media couldn't choose a blue over one of theirs.

Isn't it interesting how we've had two stories about cheating horrible City already, only 4 days after they denied the media darlings the title.

Kevin O'Regan
26 Posted 15/05/2019 at 11:20:40
Ray (12) - I have advocated silence, but the silence is deafening >> How can silence be deafening ? Get rid of those noises in your head.. just ignore them for at least 3 months...otherwise it will just be a very long and frustrating summer..relax the kax and as you say trust.
Dean Johnson
27 Posted 15/05/2019 at 12:43:36
Good ol' Digne, fully deserved.
Derek Wadeson
28 Posted 15/05/2019 at 13:07:53
Impressed with the new format of the Dixie awards. Available live on the official website and now also available via YouTube.

Presented well by Mark Chapman & Leon Osman and nice to see the main people on the board involved.

You can actually see where the People's Club comes from and it is now time to transfer this onto the pitch also.

James Flynn
29 Posted 15/05/2019 at 14:18:19
Had Gueye first and by some distance. Digne or Gylfi second. Nice problem to ponder. 3 great players.

Good boy yourself, Lucas. Congrats. Terrific player, terrific signing.

Steve Ferns
30 Posted 15/05/2019 at 15:38:35
Just in case anyone wondered why I queried David Unsworth being given "Everton Giant" status, can I make it clear that be became the 30th Evertonian to be given such status.

To make this even more clear, here is a list of the great 80s names not given such status:
- Gary Stevens
- Pat Van Den Hauwe
- Derek Mountfield
- Paul Bracewell
- Andy Gray

Of the players who played in the Premier League Era, the following have been given Giant Status:
- Duncan Ferguson
- Neville Southall
- Dave Watson

So Unsworth is in the most select of groups. Sure, he is a great Evertonian, he won the cup, he scored a record number of goals for a defender, he gave his all to the blues, and he has been a great academy coach. But does this really put him in such esteemed company and ahead of some of the bigger names in our history.

I mean no disrespect to Unsworth, and I hope one day he has amassed the credentials to really earn his selection, and I do hope he is given another shot at the manager's job.

John Pierce
31 Posted 15/05/2019 at 16:30:53
The lad plays with his head, passes accurately and has formed a relationship with whoever is in front of him.
It is amazing that those skills are almost exactly what Baines was renowned for, ident-i-kit.
But he's won this award for being consistent, others may have hit higher highs but the amount of poor games can be counted on one hand. I think this has had a huge influence on big Mick Kegger, who needs a stable situation around him, a big reason for his improved performance levels.
Can we find a right back to match?
Christy Ring
32 Posted 15/05/2019 at 16:39:02
Steve @30, Have to agree completely, I like Unsy, but not in the same category as Bracewell and co.
Delighted for Digne, the best left back in Liverpool.
Ray Smith
33 Posted 15/05/2019 at 18:56:12
Kevin 26

It's an Oxymoron.
A noteworthy silence or absence of response.

However, I take on board your advice and will leave those in the know to do what they do and let us know at the appropriate time, and get on with life😎

Phil Bellis
34 Posted 15/05/2019 at 19:40:25
Lucas even looks like an old school footballer and a proper Everton player; the great Ramon must be pleased to see Lucas following Bainsey in the standards he himself set for an Everton left back
Justin Doone
35 Posted 15/05/2019 at 20:26:52
I had Gana, Richarlison then Digne. All had very good seasons.

I recall Digne being a little unsure at the start of the season but he's adapted and improved.

Congrats to the 3 of them.

John Pickles
36 Posted 15/05/2019 at 23:43:52
Well deserved Dixie Digne.
Kevin O'Regan
37 Posted 16/05/2019 at 08:48:43
Ray, I know the saying - just don't understand it being used in the middle of May... if in 3 months time we still haven't heard anything then ok... but for now I'm very happy to hear nothing about our targets until they turn up at Finch Farm to sign up. We had enough poachers in the past watching the moves of our scouts and nicking our targets in front of our noses.
Ray Smith
38 Posted 16/05/2019 at 14:35:12
Kevin 37

Quite agree with your comments about poachers, especially Spurs.

Thinking back we did tend to identify who we were looking at, thereby doing other clubs homework/recruitment for them.

I'll settle for the silence in line with your comments.

Jay Harris
39 Posted 16/05/2019 at 15:08:37
In these days of lazy Journos and greedy unscrupulous agents, it is difficult to keep any interest quiet.

You only have to look at games where Brands has been seen and were suddenly linked with 6 players.

And then you've got agents alerting other clubs to a certain club's interest and trying to drive the price up.

Paul Birmingham
40 Posted 16/05/2019 at 22:17:23
Well done Lucas, Gana and Richarlieson, and hopefully the same again next season.
Andrew Gaule
41 Posted 17/05/2019 at 02:06:13
Well deserved! Well done!
Kenny Smith
43 Posted 17/05/2019 at 07:45:38
Talksport going on this morning about a swap deal for Danny Rose er thanks but fuckin no !
Dermot Byrne
44 Posted 17/05/2019 at 12:54:17
Essential reading for all!

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