Leeds United celebrated the club’s standout performers from the 2025/26 campaign at our annual Player of the Year awards on Tuesday night.
It proved to be a memorable evening for captain Ethan Ampadu, who claimed both the Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards after a season that underpinned the Whites’ successful return to Premier League stability.
Ampadu, who also won the award in 2024, joins an illustrious list alongside Gordon McQueen, Lee Bowyer and Jermaine Beckford as a two-time recipient of the honour. The midfielder has made 39 appearances this term, playing a key role as Leeds United secured Premier League survival with three games to spare.
His contributions were not limited to leadership alone. Ampadu found the net in the emphatic 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Elland Road and provided the decisive assist for Lukas Nmecha’s 91st-minute winner against Fulham.
The first award of the evening, Performance Player of the Year, was presented to Noah Okafor for his match-winning display against Man Utd. The forward’s brace secured all three points and etched his name into Leeds United history.
Okafor became the first Leeds player to score twice against Man Utd since Roque Junior in October 2003, and only the second to achieve a double at Old Trafford after Joe Firth, who reached the milestone in November 1931.
Goal of the Season went to Anton Stach, with 58% of supporters voting for his outstanding strike against Aston Villa. The German midfielder produced a moment of quality in the 1-1 draw at Villa Park, opening the scoring in the 31st minute with a superb long-range effort.
With a free-kick awarded from around 30 yards, Stach shaped to deliver a cross before catching goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez off guard, firing into the top corner to give Leeds the lead.
The evening also recognised achievements within the women’s side, with Drew Greene named Women’s Player of the Year. Greene made 31 appearances across league and cup competitions, scoring twelve goals and helping Leeds United Women secure a third-place finish in the FAWNL Division One North, as well as lifting the West Riding County Cup.
