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The trophy for PFA Scotland Player of the Year will be handed out on Sunday 3<\/p>\n Jim Duffy was one of the most extraordinary winners of the awardCredit: Willie Vass 3<\/p>\n The former defender won the prize in a relegated Greenock Morton teamCredit: Scottish News and Sport<\/p>\n 40 years ago there was an extraordinary winner \u2014 a part-timer who helped supplement his earnings by working in a pub.<\/p>\n And, even more incredibly, he was a defender at the heart of a Morton<\/a> team who were relegated from the Premier League after finishing bottom and conceding 100 goals, including seven-goal defeats to Dundee United and Celtic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sir Alex Ferguson\u2019s Aberdeen<\/a> were champions, with Frank McDougall netting 24 goals, Paul McStay on top form with Celtic and Davie Cooper dazzling with Rangers<\/a>.<\/p>\n That centre-half Jim Duffy was regarded as the best in the country by his fellow pros said it all about his level of individual performance and the respect for him.<\/p>\n Little wonder the highly respected Duffy, 44 years as a player, coach, manager and director of football, reflects on the anniversary of his wonderful accolade with as much pride as he did back in the day he lifted the cherished award.<\/p>\n The radio pundit told SunSport: “I was a part-timer at Morton, I also worked at St George\u2019s Bar in Glasgow.<\/p>\n “If I hadn\u2019t been at the Player of the Year dinner I\u2019d have been behind the bar – I actually think I was working there during the day.<\/p>\n “I was completely stunned just to be on the shortlist, never mind win it.<\/p>\n “If I remember rightly, the others listed were Paul McStay, Davie Cooper and Frank McDougall, God rest Davie and Frank.<\/p>\n “Frank had scored over 20 goals, Paul was a Celtic legend and Coops was just phenomenal, one of the greatest Scottish players, so it was totally humbling the players voted for me.<\/p>\n Moment fuming Hamilton Accies fans call for the exit of director of football Gerry Strain after their home defeat to Morton<\/p>\n “Me playing for Morton and us being relegated, well it just didn\u2019t make sense.<\/p>\n “When you\u2019re playing you don\u2019t really think about it. <\/p>\n “The season\u2019s so tough, all you can do is concentrate and focus as hard as you can on each game.<\/p>\n “It was an extremely hard season for us. <\/p>\n “We had some brilliant moments, a few shock victories, but every game was an absolute effort.<\/p>\n “I was 25 and it was a few years after I\u2019d left Celtic where I hadn\u2019t been able to make the breakthrough.<\/p>\n “We\u2019d got promotion the year before into the Premier League. <\/p>\n “To be brutally honest, we were out of our depth, the table didn\u2019t lie.<\/p>\n “We lost a lot of good players like Jim Rooney, Jim Holmes and others before that, so we were a very inexperienced team at that level.<\/p>\n “Financially, the club wasn\u2019t in a great position, so we were always going to be up against it. <\/p>\n![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/100-goals-relegated-top-league-991049783.jpg\")
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