Newcastle United player a 'clear winner' over Sunderland favourite

The Newcastle United midfielder has won the prestigious North East Football Writers’ Association’s Player of the Year award for 2022 ahead of Sunderland’s Ross Stewart, who helped the club win promotion to the Championship last season. Guimaraes’ team-mate Kieran Trippier was third.

Guimaraes, the 43rd winner of the award, joined the club from Olympique Lyonnais a year ago when it was in the Premier League’s relegation zone.

And the 25-year-old, in the Newcastle team which beat Leicester City 2-0 last night to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals, has played a pivotal role in the club’s revival under Eddie Howe over the past 12 months. Guimaraes scored five goals last season, and the Brazil international has netted four times so far this term.

Durham Women’s Sarah Robson retains the Women’s Player of the Year award.

NEFWA secretary Colin Young said: “After another exciting year for North East football, we’ve got two extremely worthy recipients of two of our main awards.

“Bruno Guimaraes was a clear winner of the men’s vote after a fantastic first year at Newcastle, and Sarah Robson’s women’s award underlines the way in which Durham continue to be a great footballing story for the region.

“We’re looking forward to our winners getting their awards at our awards night in March, which is always a real highlight of the North East footballing calendar.”

The NEFWA Awards Night will take place at the Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club, near Durham, on Sunday, March 5. For ticket details, email [email protected].