PFA Players' Player of the Year

The Professional Footballers' Association Players' Player of the Year (often called the PFA Players' Player of the Year, the Players' Player of the Year, or simply the Player of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in English football. [cite web|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamHons/HonsPFAPlyr.html|title=England Player Honours – Professional Footballers' Association Players' Players of the Year|publisher=England Football Online|accessdate=2008-03-14|date=2007-06-19] The award has been presented since the 1973–74 season and the winner is chosen by a vote amongst the members of the players' trade union, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA). [cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_page_id=1779&in_article_id=450020|title=Ronaldo picks up the double|work=The Daily Mail|accessdate=2008-03-14|date=2007-04-23] The first winner of the award was Leeds United defender Norman Hunter. The current holder is Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United. As of 2008, only Mark Hughes, Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo have won the award on two occasions. Although there is a separate PFA Young Player of the Year award for players under the age of 23, young players remain eligible to win the senior award, and on two occasions the same player has won both awards for a season.

Every Spring, each member of the association votes for two players. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4935884.stm|title=Gerrard named player of the year|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-14|date=2006-04-23] A shortlist of nominees is published in April and the winner of the award, along with the winners of the PFA's other annual awards, is announced at a gala event in London a few days later. [cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article1660489.ece|title=United trio lead nominations for PFA award|work=The Times|accessdate=2008-03-14|date=2007-04-16] The award is regarded by the players themselves as extremely prestigious, with Teddy Sheringham describing it in 2001 as "the biggest personal award you can get in the game", [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1303164.stm|title=Sheringham wins second award|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-14|date=2001-04-29] and John Terry stating in 2005 that he considered it "the ultimate accolade to be voted for by your fellow professionals whom you play against week-in and week-out". [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4478329.stm|title=Terry claims player of year award|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-24|date=2005-04-24]

Winners

The award has been presented on 35 occasions as of 2008, with 31 different winners. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1287470.stm|title=Only here for the peers|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-14|date=2001-04-20] cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4935884.stm|title=Gerrard named player of the year |publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-14|date=2006-04-23] cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6582201.stm|title=Ronaldo secures PFA awards double |publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-14|date=2007-04-22] The table also indicates where the winning player also won one or more of the other major "player of the year" awards in English football, namely the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year award (FWA), [cite web|url=http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/engpoy.html|title=England – Players Awards|publisher=RSSSF|accessdate=2008-03-18|date=2007-10-04] the PFA Fans' Player of the Year award (FPY), [cite web|url=http://www.givemefootball.com/rolls_of_honour/fansplayerofyearroll.html|title=PFA's Official Fan's Player of the Year: Previous Winners|publisher=The Professional Footballers' Association|accessdate=2008-03-14] and the PFA Young Player of the Year award (YPY). [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1287799.stm|title=Too much too young?|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-17|date=2001-04-20|author=Frank Keogh]

ee also

*FWA Footballer of the Year
*SPFA Players' Player of the Year
*SFWA Footballer of the Year
*PFAI Players' Player of the Year

References

External links

* [http://www.givemefootball.com/ The official website of the Professional Footballers' Association]