Shankland intends to increase his PFA award when authors select their shortlist.
The following players have been shortlisted for the Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year Award: Jack Butland, Matt O’Riley, Bojan Miovski, and Lawrence Shankland.
The candidates were revealed on Friday morning by the Scottish Football Writers Association (SFWA). Hearts striker Shankland is hoping to win again after winning the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award the previous weekend. But James Tavernier, the captain of the Rangers, who was in the running for the PFA championship with Butland, Shankland, and Celtic midfielder O’Riley, is not included on the shortlist. The SFWA award winner from the previous season, Celtic attacker Kyogo Furuhashi, has also not made the cut. However, Aberdeen hitman Miovski has been acknowledged by the nation’s football writers for an outstanding campaign.
The winner is anticipated to be revealed the following week, in advance of the Sunday, May 19, SFWA award presentation.The shortlists for the awards for young player of the year and manager of the year were also unveiled this week. For the manager of the year award, Aberdeen’s Connor Barron, Kilmarnock’s David Watson, Motherwell’s Lennon Miller, and Falkirk’s John McGlynn are competing, while Derek McInnes of Kilmarnock, Rangers, Tony Docherty, and Dundee are the contenders.