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Nicolas Anelka is the exception as players’ vote snubs London
27.04.09
Nicolas Anelka is the only London player to feature in the four divisional teams of the year, announced by the Professional Footballers' Association.
The ballot among players saw the Chelsea striker, who has scored 21 goals this season, make the Premier League team, which is dominated by Manchester United.
The six-strong Old Trafford contingent is led by Ryan Giggs, who won the player of the year title last night for the first time in an 18-year career.
Giggs, 35, paid tribute to his boss Sir Alex Ferguson and said: “I've been so fortunate to have such a great career, it's not even worth thinking about what it would have been like without the manager.”
Ashley Young has been rewarded for flourishing since joining Aston Villa from Watford in 2007 by making the PFA team and winning the young player of the year award. He said: “It shows how far my game has come on.”
Brentford, despite being crowned champions on Saturday, failed to get a player in the League Two side.
Premier League: Van der Sar (Man U), Johnson (Portsmouth), Ferdinand (Man U), Vidic (Man U), Evra (Man U), Young (A Villa), Gerrard (Liverpool), Giggs (Man U), Ronaldo (Man U), Anelka (Chelsea), Torres (Liverpool).
Championship: Westwood (Coventry), Naughton (Sheff U), Johnson (Cardiff), Stearman (Wolves), Fox (Coventry), Kightly (Wolves), Hunt (Reading), Ledley (Cardiff), Gomez (Swansea), Ebanks-Blake (Wolves), Scotland (Swansea).
League 1: Murphy (Scunthorpe), Eardley (Oldham), Hobbs (Leicester), O'Hanlon, Lewington (both MK Dons), Delph (Leeds), Oakley (Leicester), Taylor (Oldham),
Boyd (Peterboro), Lambert (Bristol Rvs), Fryatt (Leicester).
League 2: Shearer (Wycombe), Austin (Darlington), King (Gillingham), McCracken (Wycombe), Kennedy (Rochdale), Daley (Bradford), N'Guessan (Lincoln), Davies (Shrewsbury), Doherty (Wycombe), Bishop (Bury), Holt (Shrewsbury).
Reader views (5)
no way is giggs player of the year. what a joke.. he should have been given a lifetime acheivement award instead of the F.A taking the prize off someone that actually deserved it.
frank lampard should be in that team too.
- Danny, London
Im astounded that Anelka & Giggs have been voted into the team of the year! Lampard & Rooney are surely worthy of inclusion.
- Rob Gooner, NORTH LONDON
Token gesture. There are players who have contributed more this SEASON, played more games and scored more gola and Giggs got thw award! This is a joke! April 1st is coming very early.
- Max, Twickenham
What Giggs?? that's what most is thinking...This was just a farewell prize and nothing to do with a year play! I'm sure Ryan was not really over the moon, but maybe feeling at last!...Hopefully voting can get back to normal next year, but I did hear birdie about Scoles?
- John Steed, London
Consider this; Ryan Giggs has made only 12 starts in the premiership this season and 12 additional appearances as substitute. What isn't recorded is how often he has been substituTED in those games he started. given that he may have been substituted at least twice; that would make only 10 games of a full 90 minutes in the whole season so far (4 games to go). How on earth could that limited performance lead to a vote of "Player of the Year".I am not making a case for anybody else, just pondering the mindset of those who voted. Could it be that because Ryan is nearing retirement (he is now 35)those who voted took into consideration that this is likely to be his final opportunity to receive this award,and it would be fitting to receive such an award which would sit comfortably on his shelf. If that is the case then this award for this season is discredited. This is said with no disrespect to Ryan, but with great disrespect to the voting process
- Patrick Churchill, GOFFS OAK, Herts
