Aberdeen’s Derek McInnes was named manager of the year and Celtic’s Kris Commons player of the year at the PFA Scotland awards in Glasgow last night.
Jonny Hayes made it a Dons double by taking the goal-of-the-season award for his strike against Celtic in February.
McInnes, who guided Aberdeen to their first piece of silverware with the League Cup final win over Inverness in March, said: “It is testament to the effort of the players. It shows what can be done with a hungry group of talented boys. My assistant manager, Tony Docherty, has been invaluable to me and the rest of my staff so the award is as much for them as for me.”
McInnes, whose Reds are second in the Scottish Premiership, four points ahead of Motherwell with three games remaining, added: “It is nice to see Aberdeen as a club in a positive light. I was at an awards dinner last season and we hardly got a mention and it made me really aware that there was a lot of work to be done.
“We have had a lot of awards this year, a lot of plaudits, so I think that shows how where we have come from as a club and, hopefully, this time next year there will be something similar again. The cup win was needed by the club and the city, the players have enjoyed that success and I think that has whetted their appetite for the cups again.
“We can’t be satisfied with that we have done. I would like to think there is still more to come from us. We are not obsessed with finishing second, we just wanted to make sure we improved but now that we are here, with three games to go we want to secure European football.
“Hopefully, we can get the points to get European football and if we can move on to second then so be it.”
Celtic attacking midfielder Commons has scored 28 goals across all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions this season.
Commons finished ahead of his Hoops team-mates Fraser Forster and Virgil van Dijk as well as Kilmarnock attacker Kris Boyd.
Dundee United left back Andy Robertson was voted young player of the year.
Robertson beat off United team-mates Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Gauld, as well as St Johnstone attacker Stevie May, to win the award. He said: “Stuart and Ryan have had amazing seasons but I am glad to win it.”
Kane Hemmings, of Cowdenbeath, picked up the Championship award, while Rangers’ Lee Wallace was voted the best player in League 1 – with Peterhead’s Rory McAllister winning the League 2 award.