With a momentous 2024-25 football season now over where Everton bid farewell to their historic Goodison Park home, the club also recently announced the winners of all the club awards for the men’s, women’s and youth teams.
Men’s Player of the Season - Idrissa Gueye
Idrissa Gana Gueye picked up the award for the player of the season for the men’s team after yet another stellar campaign where he anchored the Toffees midfield. The Senegal international continued his trend of being everywhere on the pitch for the Blues, leading not just the Premier League in tackles but coming out top of that category across all top five leagues in Europe.
Gana is at the end of his contract this summer, though news reports seem to indicate that the 35-year-old international will extend his stay at the club for at least one year with an option for another.
He finished top of the fans’ voting with 33% of the votes, ahead of second-placed Iliman Ndiaye, with four-time winner Jordan Pickford in third while stand-in captain James Tarkowski came in fourth. This is the second time Gana won the award, having been declared joint winner in 2019 with Lucas Digne.
Men’s Young Player of the Season - Jarrad Branthwaite
Jarrad Branthwaite won the young player of the season award for the second year running after another solid campaign. The 22-year-old missed the beginning of the season with injury, and though he had some shaky moments, showed his worth to the side with Everton finishing the year with the fourth-lowest expected goals against, fifth-lowest goals against and twelve clean sheets.
The burly central defender received 89% of the vote and even though there has already been some interest in the player, it appears Everton have made it clear that they are not willing to sell him this summer.
Men’s Players’ Player of the Season - Idrissa Gueye
Gana is not only a cult hero amongst the Blues fanbase, he is also very popular amongst his teammates with his smiling countenance always visible as he was named the player of the season by his teammates as well.
Speaking to evertontv, Gana said:
“Thank you very much to the supporters and my teammates. I’m very proud to be part of this team and hopefully this team will get what it deserves moving forward – playing for the top five, playing in Europe and winning trophies.”
Goal of the Season - James Tarkowski
Despite a rocky start to the season, James Tarkowski bounced back well to stabilize the Everton backline on their way to a 13th placed finish. With Seamus Coleman again missing large parts of the campaign with injury, Tarky was also the club’s stand-in captain and did the job admirably.
However, one of his most important contributions to the season actually came at the opposite end of the pitch when he popped up in the Liverpool box very late into time-added on to slam home an equalizer in Goodison’s final Merseyside Derby.
There was little doubt or competition that this was the Toffees’ goal of the season, and Tarkowski acknowledged the achievement -
“It is the standout moment of my career by far. It was the most special feeling standing in front of the Gwladys Street after smashing one in against them. It was an incredible moment.”
Women’s Player of the Season - Sara Holmgaard
The 26-year-old left back had another sterling campaign for the Blues, her third season with Everton as she went on to score four times and added five assists in 19 appearances for the women’s side. Two of her goals came against big opponents as she registered goals against Tottenham Hotspur and eventual champions Chelsea.
Holmgaard was also huge defensively, coming up with 60 tackles and 20 interceptions.
Women’s Young Player of the Season - Martina Fernandez
The on-loan player from Barcelona made an instant impact in her central defence position after she joined the Toffees in the January transfer window.
Youth Player of the Season - Isaac Heath
Versatile youngster Isaac Heath received the award for youth player of the season after a stellar campaign playing across the midfield on both wings and in the middle as well. The 20-year-old is also on an expiring contract but media reports indicate that he has signed a new three-year-deal with the club already having joined the Toffees as a 13-year-old from Leeds United. Heath had six goal involvements in 16 Premier League 2 appearances.