In a very close race, Callum Wilson has narrowly edged out Joe Willock as the NUFC Blog’s Player of the Season for 2020-21. The striker collected 30% of the over 2000 votes to capture our annual poll.
Loading ...Wilson was as good as advertised during his inaugural season on Tyneside. He was last summer’s marquee signing joining from Bournemouth for £20m. It was a surprise signing as Mike Ashley relaxed his strict transfer policy in signing the then 28-year-old for such a high fee.
Wilson led Newcastle with 12 goals and was joint-second, alongside Allan Saint-Maximin, in assists with 5. He accomplished these feats while missing ten matches due to his two hamstring injuries. Wilson has vowed to come back even stronger next season.
Joe Willock’s outstanding showing deserves some recognition as he was only with Newcastle for 3 1/2 months. However, his impact was massive and he was the talk of the Toon for the final stretch of the season.
Willock ended his productive loan spell with 8 goals in just 14 matches. He finished with a flourish scoring a goal in his last 7 appearances. The hope is he gets a chance to extend that streak as a Magpie next season.
There will be some intense negotiations to get the 21-year-old back in some capacity. It won’t be easy as Arsenal reportedly want up to £30m for the box-to-box midfielder. Newcastle may be out of luck at that price though another loan deal could suit all parties.
Finally, Allan Saint-Maximin rounds out the trio of Magpies who excelled in the poll. The Frenchman just transforms Newcastle when he is on the pitch. There lies the problem as he’s struggled to stay fit over his first couple of seasons with Newcastle.
This past season Allan managed just 19 starts but provided 3 goals and 5 assists. Saint-Maximin’s absence due to the after-effects of Covid during the start of the year played a big part in our plummet down the table.
When he returned, Newcastle were eventually able to get back on track and finish the season strong. Bruce needs to get some quality signings in this summer to keep our star happy. He wants to see Newcastle in the top half of the table and that has to be the only acceptable outcome for next season.
Here is the updated table of our past winners.
[table “22” not found /]
50 comments so far
cleveleysbob
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:24 AM
Comment #1Shows how crap we’ve been under Ashley when most of winners are defenders, defensive midfielders or goalkeepers.
Clearly due to our one way traffic system over the years, very few moments of “off the leash” attacking football for us to enjoy. 🙁
cleveleysbob
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:28 AM
Comment #2PS, I voted for Darlow, can’t believe he only got 4% of vote after half a season of “keeping us in games” performances. By Xmas he was countries top keeper for number of saves. I think short memory syndrome applies to these polls, you can win if you have a good last 10 games as the Willock vote shows.
C’est la vie!
Adamn_92
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:29 AM
Comment #3EGB
From previous, that would definitely help! haha I don’t know if he asked for it, or was offered it and said yes. But either way he never should have had the option to have the shirt. It’s a typical goalscorers shirt which isn’t his game and it just added even more pressure.
Adamn_92
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:30 AM
Comment #4Cleveleys,
The one season we did have a decent attacking team and Ba, Cisse, Cabaye and Ben Arfa were running riot, we still voted for a defender anyway 😉
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:37 AM
Comment #5Wilson for me as without his goals we would of been down. Shame he got injured as no doubt he would of added a good few more to his tally
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:40 AM
Comment #6Forgot to say as well
Happy birthday Bob, have a great day and all that
Adamn_92
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:46 AM
Comment #7Wilson, Darlow and Willock should definitely be the top 3 (not necessarily in that order). Darlow must have saved us countless times from getting 0 points repeatedly for the first half of the second season, making sure we weren’t much worse off than we were. Wilsons goals and link up/hold up play throughout have helped no end and as Mund says, no doubt would have added more if it weren’t for injuries. Willock also gave us a real lift and we completely changed when he came into the team to make sure we pulled away from the relegation scrap with a miraculous short spell with us. All 3 have contributed massively. ASM obviously a massive influence too, just feel those 3 at least stats wise made a more telling contribution at crucial times or steadily throughout.
Adamn_92
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:49 AM
Comment #8Don’t know I put second season, just meant first half of the season haha
simon376
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:50 AM
Comment #9Bob
Speaking of Darlow, when watching England play on Sunday, my Dad asked if any Newcastle players came close to a call up in my eyes. I said Darlow is the only one and as far as Im concerned, much better than who is in the England squad right now, just wonder though, if he had continued playing, would it have made a difference? Feel for him, bit like Harper when Given was here
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:50 AM
Comment #10😆
Captain AmeriMag
@CaptainAmeriMag
Now it might be that overanalysing
@nickdemarco_
’s photography for a whole year has warped my brain but I’m definitely seeing positive #NUFCTakeover signs in this picture Eyes
#NUFC
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3WbsORWUAAYguH?format=jpg&name=900×900
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:52 AM
Comment #11Matty Longstaff to Derby on loan I’m told with both getting new contracts
Adamn_92
Jun 8, 2021 at 11:58 AM
Comment #12Simon, I think even if Darlow played the whole season and carried on performing well, he wouldn’t have got a look in. Southgate seems to have fallen into the curse of most England manager by picking his ‘purple players’ like Pickford and Sterling even though both have been pretty ineffective or off the boil this season. Along with other weird decision like not taking Ward Prowse but taking Ben White, even though they have more than enough defenders and are thin in midfield.
Not another deJong
Jun 8, 2021 at 12:02 PM
Comment #13Any significance in having the third lowest % of the vote?
Probably not any major reason, but only being one of two strikers on that list is indicative of the lack of a quality forward for a while.
cleveleysbob
Jun 8, 2021 at 12:07 PM
Comment #14Hah ha, thanks guys. Tbh I can’t argue with Wilson vote, but despite his enormous contribution towards end of season, I don’t think Willock should have featured. The vote is for “Player of the Season”.
Top 3 of Wilson, Darlow and Max for me.
cleveleysbob
Jun 8, 2021 at 12:08 PM
Comment #15Mund that’s funny, some people are just too clever. 😆
Adamn_92
Jun 8, 2021 at 12:24 PM
Comment #16Not related to anything, just read something and found it interesting. It’s strange how the Premier League are so against piracy, yet they are happy to work with and have games shown on Amazon. Considering Amazon were one of the main sites that sold and supplied devices that allowed for illegal streaming in the UK, including sports. Kodi boxed, modbro boxes and using the firestick for illegal streaming services which Amazon must be aware of and haven’t done anything to stop. You’d think Masters and co would be angry at Amazon for allowing their firestick to be able to stream the Premier League illegally.
Munster Mag
Jun 8, 2021 at 12:34 PM
Comment #17Happy birthday Bob!
Just a fan
Jun 8, 2021 at 12:51 PM
Comment #18For me shelvey would walk into that England side.
Essex Geordie Bill
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:02 PM
Comment #19Mund
Is that SBR and Alan Shearer in DeMarco’s picture plus a couple of cans on the tables.
And are the centrepieces cabbages?
barkel
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:04 PM
Comment #20Shelvey for about half this season shouldn’t have even been in our team. Our only contenders for a place in the England squad would be Darlow, Lascelles & Wilson.
Darlow was very hard done by when Dubs came back and the other two are obviously injured and have missed most of the season
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:06 PM
Comment #21EGB
Aye and Jones with a couple of cans of Newcastle brown ale on either table.
No cabbages just flower arrangements
I was speaking to the Captain who said he worked all morning getting that done 😆
carltoon
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:06 PM
Comment #22MUND, very funny, if only, do we think that they might bring up the takeover, or not, I’m just clutching at straws here.
carltoon
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:07 PM
Comment #23Happy birthday Bob, have a great day.
Essex Geordie Bill
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:07 PM
Comment #24The number 9 shirt has always been the iconic shirt for Toon top quality goal scorers and should only be given to such a person, not an unproven newcomer.
It is sacrilege to do otherwise in the Toon religion!
Romford mag
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:07 PM
Comment #25Jaf
Well he certainly wouldn’t run into it 😀
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:08 PM
Comment #26carltoon
Who knows? IMO I doubt it but MBS did bring it up with Boris when they had tea and crumpets so a possibility he might of brought it up there. We will never know tho I would think.
carltoon
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:09 PM
Comment #27ROM!!!!!
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:09 PM
Comment #28Rom 😆 class mate
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:09 PM
Comment #29Rom run get behind the sofa! 😉
carltoon
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:09 PM
Comment #30😮
Romford mag
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:10 PM
Comment #31I’m on my toes out the door , grabbing me coat on the way 😉
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:10 PM
Comment #32Forget the coat runnnnn!
carltoon
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:11 PM
Comment #33How could you! I tell you what, he’s far better than any of the ones they had playing the other night. 😉
Essex Geordie Bill
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:12 PM
Comment #34Shelvey has been the hardest working player in our team throughout the season despite having to play through injuries and is well worth his place in the team.
Not necessarily POS but should be in the top three and would do a good job for England.
Romford mag
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:12 PM
Comment #35Carltoon
Only joking !
Maybe 😉
Romford mag
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:13 PM
Comment #36Uh oh , what have I started 😳
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:14 PM
Comment #37Rom what you still doing here! 😆
Essex Geordie Bill
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:15 PM
Comment #38Rom you don’t need a coat it’s really hot out today! 🙂
Romford mag
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:16 PM
Comment #39Bill
Good point 🙂
Mund
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:19 PM
Comment #40Tbf tho regards to Shelvey I praised him a lot at the end of the season as I saw a hard working playing in those last 8 games and I’ve been one of his biggest critics.
I’m one of those fans who wants to be proven wrong not right