Celtic, Aberdeen and Dundee players among nominees for PFA Scotland player of year
Wednesday 27 April 2016 18:07, UK
Celtic's Leigh Griffiths, Aberdeen's Jonny Hayes and Dundee duo Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart have been nominated for PFA Scotland Player of the Year 2015/16.
Jason Cummings, John McGinn, Barrie McKay and Kieran Tierney are up for Scotland's Young Player of the Year gong.
We take a closer look at all the nominees for this year's top prizes.
PFA Scotland Player of the Year nominations
Leigh Griffiths - Celtic (striker)
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The 25-year-old Edinburgh born striker continued the form he picked up in the second half of last season and has blown the competition out the water in this campaign's scoring charts.
Griffiths has scored 38 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions, 29 of them in the Scottish Premiership.
He is just six goals off equalling the record tally by a Celtic player in one league season with four games left to play. Brian McClair and Henrik Larsson hold the accolade with 35 goals in a top-flight season in Scotland.
Griffiths would have to score 15 times in his final four ties of the season to match Larsson's club record of 53 goals in all competition's in one season.
Jonny Hayes - Aberdeen (winger)
Aberdeen's Premiership title challenge may have ebbed away in recent weeks, but the consistent performances of Jonny Hayes has certainly been a key factor in their push up until now.
The Republic of Ireland born winger has laid on 10 assists and scored 5 goals this campaign, including a stunning opener in Aberdeen's win over Celtic in February.
At 28 Hayes made his international debut as a substitute in Ireland's friendly win over Switzerland in March. He then came off the bench again just days later in his country's draw with Slovakia.
Having been a constant in Derek McInnes' team he has a real chance of being selected in Martin O'Neill's squad for the Euros.
Kane Hemmings - Dundee (striker)
The former Rangers front-man is the first half of Dundee's representation on this year's awards list. For a club who failed in their primary goal (finishing in the top-6 of the Premiership) to get two nominations is an indication of how well these players have performed throughout 2015/16.
The link-up shown between Hemmings and fellow nominee Greg Stewart has drawn particular praise.
Scoring over twenty goals in any league is enough to spark interest from admiring clubs, but to notch 25 goals and seven assists for a side in the lower half of the Premiership is a great effort.
Still only 24, Hemmings joined Dundee for a free from Barnsley after a spell with Cowdenbeath where he and Stewart began their striking relationship.
Greg Stewart - Dundee (striker)
Stewart is the only of this year's candidates to have been up for the award at last year's ceremony. A team-mate of Kane Hemmings at Cowdenbeath, the 26-year-old forward was signed for free by Paul Hartley at the start of last season.
With the amount both Stewart and Hemmings have contributed to Dundee, getting both strikers in for free shows Hartley has an eye for a bargain.
In his 38 appearances in all competitions this campaign Stewart has scored 11 goals and contributed 14 assists. His trademark cut in from the right on to his favoured left foot has caused defenders problems all season.
PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year Nominations
Jason Cummings - Hibernian (Striker)
Hibs have failed to win automatic promotion from the Scottish Championship in two attempts, but that's certainly not down to a lack of goals from their main striker.
The 20-year-old scored 21 goals and laid on 10 more in all competitions in 2014/15, and has already netted 24 times this term.
He went on a scoring spree in October and November, where he notched a goal in seven consecutive games.
He has contributed at vital times in Hibs' season, most notably against city rivals Hearts on their way to the Scottish Cup final. He may have missed when he attempted to replicate Antonín Panenka's famous penalty in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Dundee United, but that's simply a measure of the confidence he has in his own ability.
John McGinn - Hibernian (Midfielder)
Around the time of last year's PFA Scotland awards, the 21-year-old was involved in a training ground accident that saw Steven Thompson throw a spear into his thigh while at St Mirren.
Instead of taking crutches to this season's ceremony, McGinn could be picking up an award.
He has thrived at Hibs under Alan Stubbs this season after leaving St Mirren. He has made 45 appearances in all competitions, scoring 4 times and laying on 9 assists.
He has been a stalwart in the Scotland Under-21 squad in recent times which, along with his Hibs form, has earned him a senior debut for Gordon Strachan whilst playing in Scotland second division. That night he won the man of the match award for his display against Denmark.
While his club have failed to win automatic promotion, McGinn has played his part in getting them to a League Cup final and has a Scottish Cup final against Rangers to look forward to.
Barrie McKay - Rangers (Winger)
As a 21-year-old Rangers fans have known about McKay for a few seasons. He first made his breakthrough in the first team when the club was playing in Scotland's lowest tier.
He scored the first league goal for Rangers in the Old Third Division but fell out of favour in the following seasons.
After spells on loan at Greenock Morton and Raith Rovers McKay has found a new lease of life under Mark Warburton, nine goals and 12 assists as part of a front three would attest to that.
He has helped Rangers win the Championship title convincingly, lifted the Petrofac Training Cup and scored the goal of his life against Old Firm rivals Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final win.
Kieran Tierney - Celtic (Defender)
Having only made his senior Celtic debut at the end of the 2014/15 season, the 18-year-old has had a 'crazy' year by his own estimation.
His career has progressed since coming on for the last 10 minutes against Dundee on 22 April, 2015 and replacing Emilio Izaguirre as Celtic's first choice left-back.
A Scotland debut at 18 and being an ever-present in Ronny Deila's ever-changing back-four are just a couple of instances of how he has developed in a short space of time.
He may not have scored a senior goal yet but he has eight assists and 13 clean sheets in 30 appearances for club and country.
The PFA Scotland Player of the Year is voted for by fellow Premiership professionals. The Young Player of the Year nominees are voted for by players from all four of Scotland's divisions.
Hear from all the nominees of Sky Sports News HQ this afternoon.
