Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been named in the Professional Footballers' Association Championship Team of the Year for the 2025/26 season. The 24-year-old's inclusion was confirmed this week in voting conducted by fellow Sky Bet Championship players.
Harwood-Bellis made 43 league appearances during the campaign, contributing seven goals and two assists from his defensive position. He also featured in both legs of the play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough and captained the side for the final six matches of the season. His recognition comes as Southampton currently sit 24th in the Championship table with one win and one loss from their opening two games, leaving them seven points behind early leaders Millwall.
The PFA Championship Team of the Year is unique because it is selected through a ballot of the players themselves. Every professional footballer competing in the Sky Bet Championship gets a vote, making it a peer-reviewed accolade. This year's full team features a strong Coventry City contingent, including goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, defenders Milan Van Ewijk and Bobby Thomas, midfielder Matt Grimes, and forward Jack Rudoni. Haji Wright, also of Coventry, completes their representation.
Millwall is represented by defender Tristan Crama and forward Femi Azeez. Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney and Swansea City's Zan Vipotnik round out the eleven. The selection highlights the competitive nature of the division last season, with players from five different clubs making the cut.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis provided a significant attacking threat from defence throughout the 2025/26 campaign. His seven league goals represent a remarkable return for a centre-back and were a vital part of Southampton's play-off push. Adding two assists further demonstrates his all-round contribution to the team's build-up play.
His leadership qualities were also recognised internally, as he was handed the captain's armband for the final six games of the season. This period included key fixtures as the team battled for position. His consistent presence was a foundation for the side, missing only a handful of league matches all year. The current squad's details, including this season's top scorer Cyle Larin who has two goals in two appearances, are available on our squad page.
The individual honour for Harwood-Bellis arrives during a challenging start to the new Championship season for Southampton. The team has conceded three goals while scoring four in their first two matches, resulting in a minus one point tally due to a points deduction. Their recent form shows a win followed by a loss.
This context makes the defender's consistent excellence from the previous campaign even more noteworthy. It provides a benchmark for performance as the team looks to climb the standings. The immediate focus shifts to a significant home fixture against league leaders Millwall on August 29th. That match will see Harwood-Bellis come up against two of his fellow Team of the Year members, Millwall's Crama and Azeez.
Inclusion in the PFA Team of the Year is a career highlight for any player, signifying the respect of direct opponents. For Taylor Harwood-Bellis, it caps a personally successful season where he established himself as a key leader and goal threat for Southampton. The award is based solely on performances during the 2025/26 league season, separate from the play-offs.
It reinforces his status as one of the division's premier defenders. As Southampton works to improve their early-season position, they will rely on the standards set by their award-winning centre-back. The team's next opportunity comes quickly, with that key home game against the table-toppers offering a chance to build momentum.
