Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland wins PFA Scotland Player of the Year after beating Celtic and Rangers rivals

Another prolific season in front of goal has earned the striker the accolade from his peers

Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland won the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award at a glamour dinner in Glasgow this evening. He was voted the nation’s top footballer by his peers after 29 goals in 48 games for club and country so far this season. He becomes the first Hearts player ever to win the award since its inception in 1977/78.

Shankland was one of four nominees alongside the Rangers pair Jack Butland and James Tavernier, plus Celtic’s Matt O’Riley. The 28-year-old Tynecastle striker took the accolade to crown a memorable campaign for both him and his club. He is only the second man to win the PFA award who does not play for Celtic or Rangers since Aberdeen’s Jim Bett in 1990. The other is Michael Higdon, who was Player of the Year at Motherwell in 2013.

Shankland was named Players’ Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of the Year at Hearts last week and has now claimed the most prestigious individual award in the Scottish game.

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Earlier in the day, Hearts secured third place in the Premiership when Rangers beat Kilmarnock. The Edinburgh side cannot be caught and are now guaranteed to play European league-stage football next season. They will look to strengthen their squad with more signings over the summer after agreeing pre-contract deals with Ross County’s Yan Dhanda, Livingston’s James Penrice and Blair Spittal of Motherwell.

Former Hearts manager John McGlynn was named Manager of the Year after guiding Falkirk to the League One title without losing a single game. The 19-year-old Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson claimed the Young Player of the Year honour amid an outstanding campaign.

The Championship Player of the Year award went to Partick Thistle forward Brian Graham. Another former Tynecastle employee, Falkirk winger Callumn Morrison, was named League One Player of the Year, while Stenhousemuir defender Gregor Buchanan took the League Two Player of the Year award.

Goal of the Season went to Rangers winger Rabbi Matondo for his strike against Celtic last month. The Special Merit award was given to former Scotland captain Graeme Souness. SWPL 1 Young Player of the Year was Rangers’ Mia McAulay, her team-mate Rachel Rowe took SWPL 1 Player of the Year, and their manager Jo Potter walked off with the SWPL 1 Manager of the Year gong.